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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Malacañang asked to probe 7 Capiz Board Members

Malacañang asked to probe 7 Capiz Board Members

Published Feb 10, 2022 12:27 pm

ILOILO CITY — The Office of the President is urged to probe seven elected members of the Capiz Provincial Board for refusing to approve a budget that can fund the salary of government hospital workers as well as procurement of medicines and supplies for COVID-19 cases.

Capiz Board Members Jonathan Besa, Enrique Martin, Weldie Apolinario Jr., Thea Faith Reyes, Mateo Hachuela, Mitchelle John Patricio, and Renzo Teves are facing complaints of grave abuse of authority, gross misconduct and gross negligence.

Personnel of the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH) in Roxas City, Capiz province staged a candlelight vigil last September 2021 as they urged for the release of their salaries. (Photo courtesy of Save RMPH/Manila Bulletin)

Since the last quarter of 2021, the seven legislators junked the repeated request made by Governor Esteban Evan Contreras II for the supplemental budget to pay frontline workers rendering duty for the COVID-19 team of Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH) as well as for procurement of medicine and other medical supplies.

The seven legislators accused the Contreras administration of hiring ghost employees at RMPH, but weren’t able to release even a single name.

The governor reiterated that the recurring COVID-19 surge last year made it necessary to hire extra hospital personnel. With another team, RMPH was able to continue medical services even when there were COVID-19 infections among frontline workers, who had to undergo mandatory quarantine.

“Sadly, this is political. But they should not be politicizing this when there’s a pandemic and the workers served the needs of the people. Our frontline workers need to be paid,” Contreras told Manila Bulletin in a phone interview.

“By using politics disguised as fiscal accountability, they have acted to sacrifice life or the life-saving efforts of the RMPH. They have betrayed the public trust they have to uphold as public officials,” added Contreras, who himself belongs to a family of medical workers.

Aside from the complaint, Contreras is also urging the national government’s task force on COVID-19 to intervene.

“I ask for your aid and intervention in finding ways and means to fund RMPH so it can continue to operate and save the lives of our people,” Contreras said in a February 9 letter to Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.

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