The Civil Service Commission (CSC) affirmed Dumanjug Vice Mayor Efren Guntrano Gica’s appointee to the municipal council secretary post last Nov. 11.
CSC confirmed Nerio Aquino’s appointment as municipal council secretary, setting aside their regional office’s decision to invalidate it after Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia appointed Emmylou Cabonillas for the post.
“This goes to show that he (Garcia) cannot designate a SB secretary,” Gica said yesterday.
Gica said that this will strengthen the administrative complaints he filed against Garcia before the Cebu Provincial Board (PB).
The vice mayor said he hopes the PB can decide on the complaints and impose disciplinary action on Garcia “to serve as a lesson” and warning to him against abusing his authority.
Screening
While Gica sued Garcia for usurpation of authority, the mayor pushed for the revocation of the vice mayor’s appointment.
The mayor said Aquino didn’t undergo screening by the Personnel Selection Board (PSB).
Garcia also cited the lack of certification of availability of funds from the municipal accountant.
The CSC regional office affirmed the mayor’s position and invalidated Aquino’s appointment.
Quorum
But the CSC central office said PSB members like Rodulfo Fernandez Jr., Human Resources Management Office (HRMO) designate, and Luzviminda Melegrito didn’t show up to screen Aquino.
“Records disclose that Fernandez and Melegrito failed to offer any valid justification of their refusal to participate in such PSB screening. (That failure) should not be taken against the validation of Aquino’s appointment,” the CSC decision read.
The CSC also said the non-issuance of the certification from the municipal accountant stemmed from the refusal of the officers to issue the necessary documents.
Garcia said while the vice mayor appoints the secretary, it is the mayor that declares the vacancy of the post.
But Gica said the CSC clearly states that the appointing authority is the only one who can open a vacant post.
Gica said it had been six months since the municipal council had a proper session and they had never achieved a quorum in the last 26 weeks.