Top aides of Kalibo mayor being questioned

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Two trusted and co-terminus employees of Kalibo mayor William Lachica are facing questions from taxpayers before the Kalibo Sangguniang Bayan and the Department of Finance.

Randy Anthony Rebaldo, former Private Secretary and brother of three-termer Kalibo mayor Raymar Rebaldo,  asked Finance Secretary Cezar Purisima for his opinion whether Mayor Lachica has “committed grave abuse of authority and discretion” after the latter detailed his Private Secretary II Malou Lachica at the Office of Municipal Treasurer.

Malou Lachica has been assigned on July 3, 2013 to assist Municipal Treasurer Elsa Tabuena in her duties and functions.

Rebaldo, in his letter to Secretary Purisima on April 22, stressed “the duties and functions of Lachica are appurtenant to the Office of the Municipal Treasurer.”

Among the duties of Lachica are to monitor the remittance of revenue collectors and barangays treasurers, monitor the daily deposits to the depository banks, post expenses to the Records of Expenditures of SEF, review Municipal Business Assessments and Tax payments and prepare Revenue Generation Action Plans and Programs and Revenue Generation Performance Evaluation. 

According to Rebaldo, Lachica has applied for the positions of Municipal Treasurer since Tabuena is also due for retirement and the position of Assistant Municipal Treasurer which is presently a vacant position.

As of this writing, Malou Lachica has yet to issue a statement on this matter.

Meanwhile, Rebaldo along with close allies Ramil Dala and Herbert Tabares also begun questioning the position of Executive Assistant II Efren Trinidad before the Office of Sangguniang Bayan last April 22.

They claimed that the position of Executive Assistant II was created by Ordinance No. 2011-019 on December 19, 2011. At that ordinance, the Sangguniang Bayan approved a salary grade and annual salary range for the position.

But what puzzled them again is if the Sangguniang Bayan had enacted an ordinance giving authority to Mayor Lachica to enter into a consultancy contract with Trinidad from July 1, 2010 to January 31, 2012.

In an interview, Trinidad, who worked for the campaigns of Lachica on his political campaigns on 2010 and 2013, said the position of Executive Assistant II was confirmed by Civil Service Commission and concurred in by the Sangguniang Bayan. 

Under the Civil Service Commission issued Resolution No. 1100187 dated February 1, 2011, Executive Assistants, Private Secretary, Security Agents and Security Officer are declared primarily confidential positions and co-terminus with the term of appointing authority. 

Trinidad further stressed that the position of Executive Assistant II enjoys the highest degree of trust and confidence of the chief executive to perform functions.