School questioned for reinstating workers

BONTOC, Mountain Province: An anticorruption and anti-crime group in the region is questioning the board of the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC) for reinstating a number of dismissed employees without the consent of the Supreme Court (SC).

Earlier, the SC dismissed the charges of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the service the 12 dismissed employees, but the decision did not expressly provide for their automatic reinstatement.

The MPSPC board, however, decided to unilaterally reinstate the three dismissed workers, banking on a legal opinion ren Civil Service Commission (CSC), which stated that it was up to the school administration to decide whether to reinstate them.

Salvador Liked, secretary of the Cordillera chapter of the Citizens Crime Watch (CCW-CAR), said some of the dismissed employees brought to his attention the questionable action of the MPSPC board for reinstating some of their fellow dismissed workers, including their alleged ring leader, when the same was not expressly provided in the ruling that junked the charges against a number of them, aside from the fact that the board has no authority to render a legal opinion on a court ruling.

“We suggest that the MPSPC board reconsider its decision to reinstate the three dismissed workers and instead seek clarification before the Supreme Court whether… the decision dismissing the case against them translates to their automatic reinstatement,” Liked said.

He added that he would bring the matter to the attention of MPSPC President Rexton Chakas, Commission on Higher Education Commissioner in Charge Lilian de las Llagas and members of the board for reconsideration of their decision.

Liked also asked Solicitor-General Jose Calida to render a legal opinion on the board`s action.

If the board would not reconsider its decision, he said, he would abuse of authority against them before the Ombudsman.

The CSC earlier ordered the dismissal of 12 MPSPC employees after finding them guilty of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service for reportedly spearheading a failed siege on July 1, 2011 that sought the ouster of its former president.

The aggrieved workers appealed the CSC decision with the Court of Appeals (CA) and eventually the High Court, which dismissed the charges against the three reinstated workers while upholding the dismissal of some of those involved in the failed siege.

Members of the MPSPC board could not be reached for comment as of press time.