By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The preliminary investigation against Provincial Human Resource Management Office (PHRMO) head, Atty. Annabelle Palic, and former provincial agriculturist, Atty. Japhet Masculino, is set on September 13.

Provincial Legal Officer, Atty. Alberto Nellas, said Palic and Masculino have opted to undergo formal hearings based on the administrative charges respectively filed against them.

Nellas said they submitted their manifestations on August 31.

“The formal hearing is mandated under the Civil Service Commission circular. It’s like a court pre-trial,” he explained.

The hearing will be conducted at the Session Hall of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Palic has been put under a 60-day suspension and she will return to her duties at the Provincial Cyber Centre after the suspension while Masculino has already retired from government service.

Palic was formally charged for oppression, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, grave misconduct, and for being notoriously undesirable.

The Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE) filed a formal administrative complaint against Palic on July 6.

PACE president Renelo Lastierre said the filing of complaints against Palic was made after the Union’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution, which is also supplemented by the petition signed by 694 employees of the provincial government.

Lastierre said the complaint stemmed from accusations of some aggrieved capitol employees, including those who already retired from government service, against her.

Palic has been reassigned to the Negros First Cyber Centre since last year.

Nellas explained that the alleged offenses or charges against Palic are grave and that under the CSC rules cannot be settled anymore.

Charges against Masculino, on the other hand, stemmed over the unsettled catering services, purchase of dryer and unfinished projects funded by the Department of Agriculture since 2014./DGB, WDJ