Governor busts employees’ drink spree

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

That’s what five staffers of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office did when they started  their “happy hour” early on Friday.

Their boss Baltazar Tribunalo was in Manila on official business.

The four  job-order workers and one casual employee stepped out for drinks in a cafeteria a  few blocks away from the Capitol compound.

“Sayo man lagi kaayo mo nag-inom?” (Why are you drinking out here so early?),” asked Gov. Hilario Davide III.

His question and sudden  appearance jolted the men.

They couldn’t answer.

“Make sure that you are leave or else..,” Davide said in Cebuano then left.

The governor’s driver had  spotted the workers on a chance  trip to a cafe and alerted Davide, who was visiting his law office in the M. Diaz Building nearby.

The workers, who were confirmed to be on duty that day, face sanctions  by the Capitol discipline committee.

“What they do outside is a reflection of me and my governance. We can’t tolerate these abuses in the Capitol,” Davide told reporters  yesterday.

Provincial Information Officer Ethel Natera said three other Capitol employees – all assigned to the Provincial Health Office – were also caught on Friday drinking in a cafeteria along M. Velez Street by the Capitol’s assistant chief security officer, Bobby Legaspi. They too were placed under investigation, Natera said.

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