Aborlan mayor’s suspension delays employees’ salary

The suspension of Aborlan Mayor Jaime Ortega caused a delay in the release of the salaries of employees of the municipal government. Acting Mayor Lito Tito admitted that the transition of the mayoral post between him and Ortega delayed the salaries for January. “Alam niyo naman kung ano ang naging problema kaya medyo nag-adjust pa. ‘Yon naman ang mga sahod nila ang inaasikaso namin ngayon pero siguro by next week maibigay na (You know the problem that happened that’s why the situation was adjusting. We’re now fixing the problem in their salaries and next week it will be released),” he said. Ortega was suspended for six months for dereliction of duty. Tito said that he already issued an executive order recently to hasten the release of salaries early this month. “Pumirma na ako [ng payroll] kasi ‘yon naman ang dapat, actually wala ng problema sa akin. Ang inaayos sa ngayon doon na lang sa pag-release kaya nag-issue na ako ng EO para madaliin na nila (I already signed the payroll because it’s the right thing to do, on my part there is no problem. What we’re trying to do now is on the release that’s why I already issued a EO for them to expedite the release),” Tito added. But the delay of salaries for December was caused by the slow processing of documents of the different departments. He said he already signed the payrolls after he took over as acting mayor Ortega refused to vacate his office despite a “final and executory” six-month suspension order imposed by the Palawan Provincial Board (PB) involving water system projects worth P67 million in the municipality. Ortega said he will not leave his office unless a final decision is meted by higher office or Malacañang.