For allegedly punching a bus dispatcher last month, Vicente Dejoras was relieved from his post as manager of the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT), Gov. Hilario Davide III said yesterday.
The relief order came after Dejoras served a 10-day preventive suspension as the Committee on Discipline and Investigation (CODI) of the Cebu provincial government conducted a probe.
Restituto Dosdos, a consultant of the provincial government, will replace Dejoras who was reassigned to the Civil Security Unit (CSU). “The guy alleged that he was manhandled by Mr. Dejoras. This was confirmed so I served him the preventive suspension. He is now being investigated by the CODI,” Davide said.
Glen Marc Alpuerto, 21, went to the Carbon Police Station and accused Dejoras of manhandling him inside the terminal’s premises last July 18.
Punch yes, maul no
In an interview yesterday, Dejoras denied the allegation, but admitted throwing a single punch at the dispatcher.
“Ang usa ka kumo di man siguro na kulata. If you say I mauled him, I should have punched him six to 10 times. That guy is very troublesome” he said.
He said they arrested Alpuerto for dispatching passengers at the terminal which is prohibited under a city ordinance.
He said he already gave Alpuerto several warnings to stay out of the facility, claiming that there were allegations that the dispatcher had stolen passengers’ belongings.
In an earlier report, Alpuerto explained that he was only buying cellphone credits (load) at the terminal when Dejoras picked him up.
Last year, there were already clamors to oust Dejoras from the terminal only a few months after he assumed his post.
Petition
Stall holders, vendors, bus drivers and operators met with Davide last October and signed a petition seeking his replacement as terminal administrator. They accused Dejoras of allegedly using vulgar language and yelling at them even if they are observing the policies of the facility.
Davide, however, stood by Dejoras saying he only wanted to instill discipline at the terminal.
Dejoras was the former chief of the Squatters Prevention Encroachment and Elimination Division (Speed) at Cebu City Hall but in 2003, former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña relieved him after several allegations of corruption from his personnel and some vendors.
He was also accused of bringing home an air-conditioning unit and some roofing sheets. But Dejoras said the cases filed against him were all dismissed, as the people who filed the complaints no longer attended the hearings.