City Hall told to reinstate official

THE Civil Service Commission (CSC) called on Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to reinstate former Management Information and Computer Services (MICS) head William Cris Artajo.

In its November 11 decision, the CSC said the memorandum issued by Rama in December last year reassigning Artajo to the Operation Second Chance (OSC) and concurrent head of the Community Scouts Commission is not in order.

“This Office is not convinced that the reassignment ot the Community Scouts Center and the Operation Second Chances as ‘Concurrent Head’ was done in the exigency of the service and in good faith, hence, it must be declared null and void,” read the decision signed by CSC director Karin Litz Zerna.

The CSC said the reasons for the reassignment of Artajo was made in “general terms” and that he wasn’t even informed in writing of the specific reason for his reassignment.

Zerna said the reassignment placed Artajo in a floating status without regular functions which constitutes constructive dismissal from office and affects his right to security of tenure.

Sought for comment on the order, Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella said he will still have to review the issue.

“I’m still going to read it. Of course, we have to follow the rule. We have to follow the law on what to do under the circumstances,” he told reporters.

As acting mayor, Labella already has the power to reinstate, hire and fire employees and officials at City Hall.

But he said he will still secure an opinion from the Department of Interior and Local Government.

“But we will act on it objectively. I don’t know the case. I will peruse it. I will read the order of the Civil Service. We’ll see what they said,” he said.

MICS is currently headed by Conrado Ordesta III as its department head.

In the appeal he filed to the CSC earlier, Artajo said Rama’s order for his reassignment is “tainted with harassment” since the thrusts of MICS and OSC are not the same.

The CSC said while reassignments are the prerogative of the mayor, the commission can come in if it involves reduction or diminution of rank, status or salary, or if it’s made with malice or bad faith.

“Artajo’s reassignment from the MICS Department as CGDH II with Salary Grade 26 to both Cebu City’s Extension Offices is not a reassignment to an equivalent rank or level, thus, violative of the rule on reassignment,” Zerna said.

She said it’s a diminution of Artajo’s rank and status.

The CSC granted Artajo’s appeal and declared Rama’s reassignment order as “not in order.”

They also ordered Rama to immediately restore Artajo to his former position as MICS head.

The Civil Service Commission-Cebu South Field Office was also directed to monitor the implementation of the decision and submit a report of compliance to the CSC within 10 days from receipt of the decision.

Artajo publicly posted a copy of the CSC decision in his personal Facebook account yesterday but it was later removed.