■ 150 WORKERS IN BARANGAY ERMITA, CEBU CITY UNPAID FOR 4 MONTHS; CITY HALL TO SUE THOSE RESPONSIBLE, SAYS MAYOR OSMEÑA

Cebu City Government is considering filing complaints against those responsible for failing to release the salaries of workers and employees of Barangay Ermita. The barangay treasurer has yet to comply with the requirements set by the Commission on Audit. Among the requirements is the liduidation report on the treasurer’s previous disbursements. This resulted in the suspension of the workers’ pay. Also, the Department of Interior and Local Government has yet to grant Atty. William Orcullo the authority to sit as officer-in- charge of the village. Orcullo was appointed by Mayor Tomas Osmeña following the suspension of Barangay Captain Felicisimo Rupinta and his seven councilmen. →

The Cebu City Government mulls filing an administrative complaint against those behind the delay of the release of paychecks of more than 100 workers in Barangay Ermita.

Asssitant City Administrator Veronica Morelos said that Ermita barangay treasurer Enriqueta Cabigon has yet to comply with the requirements asked by the Commission on Audit ( COA) 7, which resulted in the suspension of the workers’ salaries.

“The bank will not release the money until COA lifts the suspension. There’s a failure on the part of the treasurer. I’ve called her to settle the reports, but got no response,” Morelos said.

Close to 150 barangay officials, tanods, health workers, day care teachers, lupong tagapamayapa, garbage loaders and drivers have not received their salaries since January.

It did not help that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has yet to grant Atty. Winifredo Orcullo the authority to serve as officer-in-charge of the barangay.

The lawyer was appointed by Mayor Tomas Osmeña as caretaker of the village following the six months preventive suspension of Ermita village chief Felicisimo Rupinta and his seven councilmen for allegedly failing to cooperate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 7 during a drug raid last November.

“But even if DILG gives the authorization, still, no withdrawal of money can be made until the treasurer furnishes COA with the liquidation of disbursements,” Morelos said.

Authority

Asked about the matter, Ermita barangay secretary Erwin Peñafort said that even if they submit the reports asked by COA, their salary won’t still be released because no one has the authority to sign the barangay vouchers.

Only an official appointed by the President or DILG secretary can sign the vouchers, he said.

“So even if the money was not frozen, we still can’t withdraw it because no one has the authority to sign the vouchers. That is the real story,” he said.

Osmeña said that regardless of whether the City receives a response from DILG regarding Orcullo’s designation or not, he will sign the disbursement documents of Ermita.

“I’m willing to sign but whether they will release the funds, I don’t know,” he said.

Last February, the mayor wrote a letter to former DILG secretary Ismael Sueno asking him to allow Orcullo to sign payrolls, among others.

Osmeña, though, has not received a response from the DILG until now.

In the meantime, Osmeña said that the City will distribute a sack of rice each to all barangay workers, which will be charged under the City’s Accelerated Social Amelioration Fund.

With the problems the barangay face, Peñafort said almost half of their employees and workers have left the barangay hall but the others decided to continue to report for work.

“We just really want to give service to the public. We can’t force the City to give us funds. For now, we just sell goods so we can survive,” he said. /