ROXAS City – Vice Mayor Erwin Sicad admitted that he was “negligent” in hiring the alleged “ghost employees” under the city government’s Matahum and Matinlo Program.
“Gina-admit ko sa inyo nga may deperensya ako kag gina ako ko nga nangin negligent ako,” said Sicad in a press conference here on Thursday.
It was the first time Sicad spoke to the media since August – the same month Councilor Powell del Rosario questioned the payrolls of the 15 workers who allegedly does not exist.
The payrolls lacked the basic information needed in a securing residence tax certificate such as middle names and addresses, del Rosario said.
Sicad made the payrolls when he was acting mayor for almost a month from July to August, claimed del Rosario.
The Commission on Audit has summoned the 15 workers to verify their identities but no one showed up on the days the agency has set.
Earlier this week, an affidavit from Sicad’s secretary Maria Ubiña-Fabiaña surfaced.
Fabiaña – in her affidavit subscribed and sworn to before Assistant City Prosecutor Eduardo Delfin on Aug. 20 – took the blame over the “hiring of the casual employees, the preparation of the payrolls and disbursement of funds.”
She added that Sicad was “free from any and all liabilities.”
Fabiaña, in a letter which she addressed to Sicad, also apologized.
“Ginabagabag na gid ako sang akon konsensya kay bangod sang nahimo ko nga pagtonto sa imo. Sir, pasensyaha ako sa pagpangawat ko sa imo sang mga sweldo sang mga tawo nga akon ginbutang sa payroll,” part of the letter read.
Sicad said Fabiaña went to his house and admitted her “mistakes.”
The vice mayor added that some of the alleged “ghost workers” were real people as he “saw them personally.”
He added that he was “so preoccupied” that was why he entrusted to Fabiaña the hiring of the employees.
“Gin-delegate ko ina tanan kay ‘Nanay Maring’ because she is almost a member of the family,” Sicad said teary-eyed. “Nakaapekto sang dako sa akon, sa akon pamilya kag sa akon mga kabataan ang isyu nga ginabato sa akon. Wala ako ginpadako sang akon ginikanan para mangawat.”/PN
