Suspension orders out on 3 ILECO III area managers, utility worker
SARA, ILOILO – Three area managers of Iloilo Electric Cooperative (ILECO) III and a utility worker have been ordered suspended, yet another ‘aftershock’ of the ongoing controversy here.
Contained in Resolution No. 30 Series of 2009, the decision was reached following purported “disobedience” of utility worker Juanito Buenafe and area managers Cirilo Jerry Pacardo, Lanie Velasco and Apolojandro Sicad.
The four were apparently ordered to remove anti-ILECO III streamers said to have been put up by irate member-consumers.
In defense of the suspended area managers and utility worker were management officials of ILECO III even as retired Judge Mateo Baldoza Jr., ILECO III Board President, maintained the regularity and legality of the order.
Buenafe, the Resolution went, allegedly disobeyed the verbal instructions of Baldoza. Specifics were not mentioned however on the area managers’ faults.
Yet as it, the suspension was justified by the Board stating “after thorough, exhausted and judicious deliberations on the charges against Juanito Buenafe, the written explanation submitted has found sufficient evidence to prove that he committed the Administrative Offense charged.”
Further still, the Board averred that suspension of the four is necessary “in order to preserve the respect and courtesy which every employee should accord the Board of Directors being officer of the Cooperative and in order to maintain discipline on the employees, an appropriate penalty for the offense charged must be imposed…”
The suspension as ordered was in the period of five days and without pay. A corresponding warning was also made that repetition “will be dealt with more severely.”
The motion for suspension was made by ILECO III director Rene Arandilla and seconded by director Emmanuel Pacardo.