By MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City — Suspended Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) general manager Juliana Carbon has stayed put in her office since Friday last week, a day after her 30-day preventive suspension took effect.
The water district’s Board of Directors wanted her to vacate her office.
It has issued a Notice to Vacate for Carbon. “We will serve the notice as soon as possible,” said Board secretary Marichi Ramos.
Ramos, Board chair Lawrence Villanueva and vice chair Lorendo Dilag approved the Notice during an emergency Board meeting on Saturday.
With her suspension, Carbon is barred from the Baciwa office and the water district’s properties and facilities, Ramos earlier said.
The Board suspended Carbon for “loss of trust and confidence, dishonesty, fraud, negligence, insubordination, and grave misconduct.”
It will hold an emergency meeting today to determine who will temporarily take over as general manager.
Assistant General Manager for Operations Samuel Penado declined his supposed designation as officer-in-charge.
In Resolution No. 148, the Board authorized Penado to become the signatory in all of Baciwa’s bank accounts, but he refused, saying the resolution was invalid. It was same resolution that suspended Carbon.
Ramos clarified that the Board had a quorum during its meeting on Saturday even in the absence of directors Ma. Aida Torre and Cecilia Henares.
Villanueva, Dilag, and Ramos voted for Carbon suspension, while Torre and Henares voted against it.
‘CITY HALL PROBE’
Meanwhile, Mayor Monico Puentevella believes the city government should investigate the current goings-on at Baciwa.
The city government, under the Leonardia administration, appointed all of the water district’s directors, he pointed out.
“Our counsel will meet with (Baciwa workers’) union officials, Board of Directors, and the Local Water Utilities Administration this week. I encourage all union officials to cooperate,” Puentevella said.
The Baciwa Employees’ Union is supportive of Carbon./PN
