Nine personnel of the Police Regional Office-Cordillera have filed their respective appeals after receiving dismissal orders for illegally occupying housing units inside the regional police headquarters at Camp Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet.
The appeals and counter-affidavits against PRO-Cor Director, B/Gen. Ronald Lee, and former director, B/Gen. R’win Pagkalinawan, were filed before the National Police Commission and Civil Service Commission.
Non-uniformed personnel Iluminada Lachica, one of the complainants, has filed her appeal to the CSC over a decision issued by Lee on May 5 dismissing her from service for grave misconduct. Lee denied her motion for reconsideration on June 3.
Lachica, along with other employees, became a subject of a complaint on Jan. 15 for grave misconduct for allegedly being a member of informal settlers within the camp.
In her appeal, she questioned why she was charged for an offense only recently when she has served the command since 1983 and a resident inside the camp for 48 years.
Her appeal stated the anti-squatting law is beyond the scope and coverage of the Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service or for the CSC to address.
Lachica asked the CSC to order the dismissal of the complaint for grave misconduct against her for lack of merit and to direct Lee to reinstate her without loss of seniority rights and benefits.
Meanwhile, S/Sgt. Jeanette Gay Pastores was also dismissed from service through an order signed by Pagkalinawan on March 23.
Pastores assailed her dismissal from the service allegedly for unlawfully and illegally occupying a property within the camp, saying the property was not under her name but her parents.
Napolcom issued a resolution on May 18 upholding her appeal, reinstating her to service. – Ofelia C. Empian
