'Ghost employees' issue worries City Mayor
City Mayor Jerry Treñas assured he would look into the reports on the alleged existence of "ghost employees" at the office of Councilor Merci Drilon-Garcia.
Treñas will be back in his office starting today (Monday) after recuperating from gall bladder operation.
Treñas said his first order of business when he resumes office is to have a meeting with all the department heads.
Last week, a couple, whom Councilor Garcia claimed as her staff, denied working and receiving salary from her.
The couple's names, however, were reportedly included in the councilor's payroll list.
One of the factors that give way to the existence of "ghost employees" is the allowing of Special Power of Attorney (SPA) for job hired employees to get their salary from the paymaster at the City Treasurer's Office.
Treñas said he will find ways to prevent such practice. He said the city has cut off the services of several casual employees at the city hall in order to save and to have additional budget for other more important projects in the city.
In the 2006 General Budget of the city, the city has allocated 45 percent of the entire budget for the personnel services. The budget for the city's personnel is much bigger to the other expenditures the city government has projected.
Reports on Garcia's alleged "ghost employees" came out after the couple Leonora and Ronald Encarnacion complained to Bombo Radyo the inclusion of their names in Garcia's legislative payroll dated October 1-15. The couple claimed they did not receive any single centavo from the councilor and neither worked at the councilor's office.
On her part, Garcia claimed that the couple are part of her staff. The couple are allegedly working in the field, checking her political standing relative to the oncoming election next year. She claimed the issue about her having "ghost employees" is politically motivated.
Based on the payroll, the Encarnacions each received P2,200 for working as "laborer".
Leonora is a "laundrywoman" while her husband Ronald earns a living by employing himself as a shoe repairman (sapatero). Both denied working as staff of the the councilor.