MABALACAT CITY – Two Mabalacat councilors revealed that some P42 million intended for the two-month salaries of 2,585 contractual employees (job orders) were given to some 301 other contractuals who were receiving salaries ranging between P10,000 and P50,000.
In a complaint lodged at the Office of the Ombudsman, Councilors Rogelio Yumul and Jerry Basilio said “the Sangguniang Panlunsod did not approve the special rate ranging from Php10,000 – Php50,000, for the 301 JOs.”
“Further, to our knowledge, the policy of the Civil Service provides that the rates of the JOs should not exceed the rates of the professionals in the private sector. Likewise, there should have been an explanation as to the special rates of JOs,” the complaint said.
Yumul and Basilio, further said that those contractual workers who “were given special rates, were not even degree holders, and are doing menial work.”
The complaint indicated the Mabalacat Acting Budget Officer “disclosed that the approved appropriation for the wages of the Job Order Contract Employees, for the period January 2018 to December 2018, was utilized for payment of 301 JOs.”
The complaint indicated that during an interview with CLTV 36, Mayor Crisostomo Garbo admitted “the funds was mis-used to some other items.”
The two said the Civil Service has issued an advisory on the maximum number of contractual workers.
On January 4, 2018, the two councilors lodged a technical malversation case at the Office of the Ombudsman against Mayor Crisostomo Garbo; Atty. Aileen C. Rigor, City Accountant; Acting Treasurer Marlene M. Mendiola; Merla P. De Leon, Human Resources and Management Officer; and Acting Budget Officer Narce P. Paquia for the “illegal use of public funds under Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code.”
Some 2,585 contractual workers are yet to receive their salaries for November and December 2018. The salaries of 1,585 contractual workers were already appropriated in the 2018 budget while the salaries of additional 1,000 contractual workers were appropriated in the P72 million supplemental budget approved last August 2018 for the salaries and compensation of the newly created position, maintenance and other operating expense.
A contractual worker receives P8,160 per month. Each worker should receive two months salary amounting to P16,320. The city government should pay a total of P42,187,200 for the 2,585 contractual employees.