BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson denied the motion for reconsideration (MR) filed by four former employees of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) dismissed from the service for binge drinking while on official travel in Victorias City, Negros Occidental last year.
In a resolution, Lacson pointed out that a motion for reconsideration may only be granted if there is any new evidence discovered; if the assailed decision is not supported by the evidence on record; and/or if errors of law or irregularities have been committed prejudicial to the interest of the movant.
Lacson pointed out that no new evidence has been discovered and submitted by the respondents that would materially alter or affect his Jan. 3 decision ordering their dismissal from the service.
His earlier decision was also supported by evidence on record as the position paper of the respondents was taken into account.
While respondents heavily relied on the alleged invitation of the Victorias City agriculturist, Lacson said there was nothing that would support this aside from the bare and self-serving claims of the respondents.
Lacson further stated that there is no proof in the form of affidavits or other documentary evidence whatsoever attached in the respondents’ position paper.
Unless the claim or allegation is supported by the sworn statement of the Victorias City agriculturist himself, the same could not be given weight in favor of the respondents, he added.
The governor also said in his resolution that even though the respondents insisted that the meeting at the restaurant was part of official business, still, nothing was submitted or presented to support the claim that the time spent at the restaurant outside the Victorias City Hall was indeed part and a continuation of the official business.
Furthermore, since the July 15, 2022 meeting ended at 4:45 p.m., Lacson pointed out that no one among the respondents bothered and cared to inform their driver that the meeting was finished early and that they were at a restaurant outside the Victorias City Hall.
The driver only knew the whereabouts of the four around 8 p.m. when, on his own initiative, he contacted one of the respondents and got the information.
Meanwhile, Provincial Legal Officer (PLO), Atty. Alberto Nellas Jr., said the next course of action for the four former OPA employees is to file an appeal directly before the Civil Service Commission.
Lacson dismissed engineers German Abihay, Ramelo Letran and Rezin Palacios, and project development assistant Maria Luisa Abano.
According to the complaint filed by a provincial government driver, the five went to Victorias City Hall on “official travel.”
However, by 8 p.m. on the said date, the driver claimed that the five failed to show up for the return trip to Bacolod City and it was later discovered to be in a restaurant drinking.
One of the involved OPA employees allegedly threw expletives against the driver after he told them they needed to return to Bacolod City.
Aside from being dismissed, the four were also penalized with the forfeiture of their retirement benefits, cancellation of eligibility and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. They were also barred from taking Civil Service examinations./PN
