“There’s still is a status-quo group at City Hall who likes things done the old way, behind closed doors.” –Laura Miller

Nobody loves a loser? In a twist of fate, an executive assistance who was asked to resign by the right hand of outgoing Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III, Rommel ‘Jojo’ Castro, is about to take back his portfolio as city administrator once outgoing Iloilo City lone district Rep. Jerry P. Treñas assumes the post of city mayor on July 1. Melchor Tan, Treñas’ city administrator during his earlier terms as mayor, will replace Atty. Hernado Galvez, who has served the position since the administration of former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.
Tan and five other Treñas allies—Abel Alejano, Boyet Rico, Irene Ong, Mitch Antiqueña, and Roy Firmeza—quit during the Espinosa administration after being asked to resign “if they couldn’t prioritize their City Hall tasks over their other concerns outside City Hall.” They all quit, disappeared from the public scene for a while, planned their resurrection, and resurfaced with the Bastille recaptured.

City administrator is the most powerful person in the mayor’s office
A city administrator is in charge of documentation for casual employees, reviews executive orders, among other major functions. Will this be Tan’s turn to ask Castro and the other City Hall officials who feverishly campaigned for Espinosa to resign? Castro, City Engineer Bobby Divinagracia, Vincent Dela Cruz, among others are reportedly “heading for the chopping block” once the Treñas administration takes over.
However, if they are protected by the civil service law, the least Tan can do is reassign them (demotion). It would be a violation of their rights if they were dismissed merely because they identified with Espinosa in recent polls. While Castro et al. may already know their fate and are not expecting a walk through a rose garden—even if they retain their jobs.

“Only doing his job”
For being loyal to his boss and “only doing his job,” Castro became the incoming administration’s favorite punching bag and is in the center of City Hall’s forthcoming “house cleaning.” Additionally, many casual workers who lost their jobs during Espinosa’s brief reign are also sharpening their knives against Castro.
Although, in fairness to Castro, he was only doing what his boss had asked. He shouldn’t be singled out from the outgoing administration’s “reign of terror” that resulted in the “mass slaughter” of casual employees.
As for Espinosa, he shouldn’t abandon his wounded soldiers. While he is no longer responsible for feeding and clothing these adults, there is still a moral obligation to ensure Castro and the rest are not stripped of their dignity and livelihood.
Although it is not anymore his responsibility to feed and clothe the adults after they have been vanquished, Mayor Joe III, at least, still have the moral obligation to make sure Castro, et al won’t be stripped of their dignities and livelihood.

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Alex P. Vidal, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo./WDJ