Ermita workers told: Cooperate or get fired

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña warned that he will revamp the more than 100 personnel in Barangay Ermita if they won’t cooperate with City Market Administrator Atty. Winifredo Orcullo Jr.

The workers were reportedly absent when Orcullo, the village caretaker, visited the barangay hall last Tuesday to discuss the status of their payrolls.

“We’ll have to fire them or withhold their salaries. I will authorize it. If you don’t work, you’re fired. Why should we pay you if you’re not doing your job?” Osmeña said.

While Orcullo’s duties as caretaker may not include the power to hire or fire personnel, the mayor said the worker’s cold treatment towards the lawyer may cost them their jobs.

The mayor then said he wants the barangay personnel to keep a daily time record so he will know who are neglecting their duties.

Association of Barangay Council President Philip Zafra asked the barangay workers to cooperate.

“Give the law its own due course. Respect whoever is there because if there’s an impasse, it will affect the entire delivery of services,” he said.

Zafra, however, said that a representative from the Department of Interior and Local Government 7 should have assumed as caretaker of the barangay to avoid partisanship.

Orcullo was designated by Osmeña as caretaker of Ermita after the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas suspended Barangay Captain Felicisimo Rupinta and seven councilors for failing to cooperate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 7 during a drug raid in November last year. /