Civil Service declares top Capitol posts vacant
Cabaluna
Two top aides of Governor Niel Tupas Sr. are in deep trouble following the declaration of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) that the posts both occupy are vacant.
As such, supposed Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada and supposed Provincial Legal Officer Salvador Cabaluna are "private citizens" void of any authority to assume said positions. Worse, it now appears, the duo had no business serving as "Governors" the same way that Governor Tupas had no legal basis to appoint both as his substitute during his official travel.
The highly-anticipated disclosure was made by Vice Governor Rolex Suplico in yesterday's privilege speech he entitled "The Usurpers."
Mejorada
With matching powerpoint presentation, Suplico went on with his expose' following queries made before concerned government agencies. The CSC regional office here categorically told the Vice Governor, the Province of Iloilo has no Provincial Administrator and no Provincial Legal officer to speak of.
This, after a settled government ruling that "new appointments must be issued by the Governor to fill up said positions and the same must be concurred in by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan."
The Commission further added that unless the twin requirements are complied with, "said positions are considered vacant. It is settled that the concurrence or confirmation of the local sanggunian is part and parcel of the appointment process and the absence thereof renders the appointment incomplete."
CSC Director III Raymund Gonzales cited a Commission ruling on a similar case that resolved the issue on whether or not a new appointment of a municipal administrator is needed for a reelected mayor.
"Mr. Mejorada and Atty. Cabaluna are undoubtedly discharging the powers of the Provincial Administrator and Provincial Legal Officer, respectively. Both are members of the Bids and Awards Committee. Both continue to receive their salaries since July 1, 2007. Mr. Mejorada meets with Department Heads every Monday and sits as representative of the Office of the Governor in the Budget Hearing Committee. After the Governor, he is the Capitol's second most powerful man," Suplico in his speech said.
Further still, the Vice Governor noted how the Governor in a couple of Executive Orders then appointed Cabaluna and Mejorada as Officer-in-charge of the Office of the Governor one after the other upon his official travel.
"Private citizens as Iloilo Governors? This can happen only in Iloilo! What happened is a standing insult to all of us. And I warn those who in one way or another made this falsehood possible. Remember that there is a time for everything, even for vagabonds like Manuel Mejorada!," Suplico added as continued,"The 2 swindlers can fool some of the people some of the time. But certainly they cannot fool all the people all the time."
With his discovery Suplico called for the condemnation of the "falsity in the strongest possible terms." The Vice Governor also pushed for an ordinance deleting the appropriations for the positions of the two controversial posts.
Such on top of the investigation sought "in order that this may not be repeated."
The News Today tried to reach both Cabaluna and Mejorada late afternoon yesterday for their respective reactions but to no avail.
Nevertheless, The News Today will try to get and publish the reactions of the two officials in the succeeding issues of this paper.