Initial probe on CEO bares chaotic management
Suspicions on the leakage and thievery of materials inside the City Engineer's Office (CEO) was strengthened yesterday (Thursday) after the CEO's administrative officer revealed it is City Engr. Marito Amatorio who keeps the key of their storage room (bodega).
Pressed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod adhoc committee, CEO administrative officer Imelda Aguadera revealed that the key to CEO's storage room is being kept by Amatorio.
The first round of investigation initiated by the Sangguniang Panlungsod ad hoc committee chaired by City Councilor Perla Zulueta was in response to the complaint filed by CEO employee Ricardo Gumabong against his superiors.
Aguadera said it is Amatorio who holds the key even if they have a storekeeper. Aguadera, however, failed to identify their storekeeper.
Amatorio excused himself from the first round of investigation as he had a prior committment at the Iloilo Hall of Justice.
In the plantilla positions of the CEO employees, it was found out that Constantino Recto a.k.a. Boy Recto occupies the position of storekeeper. But it was learned that Recto is already detailed at the office of Amatorio.
Aguadera said one casual employee in the name of Che Granada was assigned at the "bodega" but they have to get the key from Amatorio if they have to get something from it. When asked on who is receiving the pay as the storekeeper, Aguadera did not categorically pinpoint the person.
Aguadera's revelation has caught the attention of the investigating panel composed of Councilors Zulueta, Erwin Plagata, Jed Mabilog, Armand Parcon and Ely Estante in relation to the allegations hurled by Gumabong against Amatorio and other officials of the CEO. Like Amatorio, Aguadera was also accused by Gumabong of engaging in illegal transactions and acting as fixer at the engineer's office.
Gumabong earlier exposed that Amatorio used some construction materials kept at the CEO storage room for the construction of his house in Mandurriao.
He further claimed that other CEO personnel converts the materials to cash by selling it to private individuals.
Gumabong alleged the construction materials are sneaked out of the bodega and entire building compound of the CEO through the help of a security guard assigned with the City District Engineering Office.
In the same hearing, there were also confusion as to how many are the bodegas at the CEO and the difference between the "storekeeper and bodegero" as stated by Gumabong.
In the first round of questioning, Gumabong said the CEO has one bodega but later he said that there are two bodegas at the CEO. On the storekeeper and "bodegero", he said there is one "bodegero" and another one storekeeper. Later, he said a "bodega" in charge is also acting as the storekeeper.
In the course of the first round of the hearing, Aguadera rattled and forgot some of her functions at the CEO. She only named a few such as to provide administrative services, prepare budget, check payroll and prepare memoranda.
Zulueta said the ad hoc committee will again convene for another round of investigation on the first week of July with the same persons as subject of questioning.