The Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas has ordered the suspension of Danao City Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III for his alleged failure to reinstate city employees whose appointment he earlier recalled.
Durano was found liable for simple neglect of duty and was ordered suspended for three months without pay.
The ruling was approved Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente in September 2016 but was released to the media only on Friday, Jan. 27, 2017.
The issue stemmed from a complaint filed by at least seven employees of the city government whose appointments were revoked by Durano in 2013.
The mayor claimed that the appointments of the complainants did not undergo the screening process, supposedly done by the Personnel Selection Board, as mandated under a Sangguniang Panlungsod resolution in the city.
The complainants–Orlando Dagatan Jr., Amabella Gomez, Cecilia Lawas, Celso Aylwin Manulat, Leo Enriquez, Conchita Batuto ug Maria Sofielyn Camance–were appointed into their positions by former Danao City Mayor and Ramonito’s older brother Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr.
The Civil Service Commission ordered the mayor to reinstate the complainants as well as to pay them backwages.
Nito reportedly did not comply with the order.
In a media interview, Ramonito’s lawyer Edmund Lao said they will file a motion for reconsideration before the Ombudsman to contest the ruling.
Lao said the complainants were already reinstated to their positions and given their benefits in December 2015.