By CESAR JOLITO III

The Negros Occidental provincial government will seek the reconsideration of a Civil Service Commission (CSC) ruling ordering the reinstatement of a lawyer who was dismissed from service in 2020, Provincial Legal Officer (PLO) head Alberto Nellas, Jr. said.

Nellas said the provincial government received the CSC Central Office’s decision on July 14, which dismissed the administrative case against former PLO Attorney IV Ernie Magaspag and directed his reinstatement to government service.

However, Nellas emphasized that the CSC ruling is not yet final and executory, as the province still has legal remedies available.

He said the provincial government continues to stand by the evidence presented during the administrative proceedings, particularly the CCTV footage summary report, which it believes sufficiently supports the charges that led to Magaspag’s dismissal.

In light of this, the provincial government will file a motion for reconsideration before the CSC within the 15-day period allowed under the rules.

Magaspag was dismissed from service in 2020 following administrative proceedings over alleged discrepancies involving his attendance records.

In a decision dated June 17, the CSC reversed the dismissal, ruling that the evidence presented — particularly the CCTV summaries — was unauthenticated and insufficient to sustain the charges of serious dishonesty and falsification of official documents.

The CSC also ordered Magaspag’s reinstatement and the payment of his back wages, benefits and accrued leave credits, subject to the finality of its decision./CCJ, WDJ