Wanted: Witnesses vs smuggling at CSWDO
ILOILO City – Two employees of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) were relieved from their respective duties following allegations that the office’s rice and other relief goods were being smuggled out of their warehouse.
City Administrator Hernando Galvez urged witnesses to come out “so as
og as toa to ensure gather Help us get to the bottom of the
nga ma- naton ang controversy.” matuod…
He, however, said the relief of CSWDO warehouse man Edwin Florendo and driver Jonathan Celiz should not be misinterpreted.
“We are not convicting anybody here… they enjoy the presumption of innocence,” he stressed.
If claims on social media were to be believed, a motor vehicle of CSWDO was seen delivering sacks of rice to certain stores.
Florendo and Celiz denied pilfering CSWDO’s goods.
Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog ordered an investigation.
“This remains to be an allegation,” stressed Galvez, until the investigation could verify it.
Florendo and Celiz would be assigned to other city government departments, he added.
CSWDO head Fred Villanueva was not relieved from his post. The allegation surprised him, he said, but he welcomed the
investigation.
said, that CSWDO rice and other relief goods were being stolen by his office’s own staff.
Mabilog created an ad hoc committee to conduct the probe and a physical inventory team to check CSWDO’s warehouse.
“We hope that with this, we will now the truth,” said Galvez.
Mabilog’s decisive action should serve as a warning to others at city hall, he stressed.
City Legal Office chief Atty.
Lorna G. Laurea is heading the fact-finding committee Mabilog created. Her members are Atty. Roledo De la Cruz and Atty. Flymore Gascon of the City Legal Office and General Services Offices head Joren Sartorio.
The physical inventory team, meanwhile, i s composed of Atty. Joan Montaño, head of the Internal Audit and Services Office; Norwin Diaz, job order contractor under the City Legal Office; and the members of the secretariat./