By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

After earlier being convicted on violations to RA 6656, which protects tenure for civil service officers, former Cadiz City Mayor Eduardo Varela was granted probation by the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division.
In a decision dated May 17 and released last Thursday, the former city official’s four-year probation is still subject to conditions set by the graft court.
Under probation, Valera is required to meet with a probation and parole officer at least twice a month and cannot change his address without prior approval from the officer or court. He also must secure a written permit from the officers or from the Fifth Division if he intends to travel for more than 30 days.
The former mayor is also required to conduct community service, participate in tree-plantings, secure employment, among other stipulations.
Valera was convicted after firing 166 employees in 1998 as part of a reorganization of the city government. After he hired 101 new personnel, 19 of the fired employees filed a complaint against him.
They later received a favorable ruling from the Civil Service Commission and were reinstated after Varela’s term in office./DGB, WDJ