Co-terminus SP workers’

Dilemma resolve soon

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 2 (PIA)—Now that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has officially designated an acting vice governor, the issue of “terminated” employees of the Office of the Vice Governor and the fate of the key staff assigned to legislators can now be resolved.

This development came after the DILG finally issued the official designation of Board Member Vincenzo Arcamo as acting governor, July 31.

The DILG designation followed the assumption of then acting governor Tita Baja to the temporarily vacant seat of the governor.

It may be recalled that immediately after the death of then Vice Governor Victor Dionisio Balite, employees assigned for key tasks at the Office of the Vice Governor and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan were reportedly “terminated.”

The alleged termination however, according to Provincial Human Resource Management and Development Officer (PHRMDO) Anne Mariquit D. Oppus, is nothing but the cause of law.

“The ‘terminated employees, about 18 of them’ are those who were appointed to confidential positions in the Office of the Vice Governor and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which are co-terminus with the appointing authority,” Oppus explained.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) in its Omnibus Rules on Appointments and Other Human Resources Actions (ORAOHRA) in Rule 4 D defines coterminous appointments as those issued to persons whose tenure is limited to a period specified by law or whose continuity in the service is based on the trust and confidence of the appointing officer.

In the case of the Legislative Staff Assistants (LSA) of the SP and the few appointed to trust positions in the Office of the Vice Governor, their positions are co-terminus with the appointing authority, she said.

As such, when their contracts expired, they would need the renewal or extension of their contracts, to be signed by the appointing authority, and in their case, the Vice Governor.

And when the vice governor assumed the office of the governor following the governor’s temporary suspension, by rule of succession, senior board member Tita Baja has to take on the office of the Vice Governor, in acting capacity.

Then acting vice governor Baja, could, if she wills it, sign the renewal of the employees whose contracts were signed by then vice governor, but, as to the Capitol Human Resource Officer, there is a period of 30 working days from the official assumption into office by the official before the new appointing officer can sign appointments.

In fact, in the case of Acting Vice Gov Baja, even before she could stay to complete the 30 days when she could have saved those employees whose renewals were suspended in limbo, she was to assume the governor’s seat vacated again by the late son of the Balite clan.

To this, when the DILG issued the designation to BM Arcamo as the acting vice governor, the same 30 days after his official assumption to the position applies, before he can sign the appointments, by law, Oppus hinted.

And then the next question is, will Acting VG Arcamo use the services of people whose confidence were with the previous vice governor, or would he not bring in his own trusted people to man his confidential positions in the office?

To that, the next 30 days would determine if by operation of law, the fate of those employees remain in limbo. (PIABohol)

IN BM ARCAMO’S HANDS. Considering that the new acting vice governor would be the one signing the appointment papers of workers in confidential trust positions in the Office of the Vice Governor and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, those previously appointed by the late vice governor may hope their for continued employment, otherwise, being coterminous with the appointing officer, their relationship with Capitol ended when the vice governor died. Or BM Arcamo appoints them. (PIABohol)