By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz confirmed the transfer of Atty. Anabelle Palic, the Human Resource Management Officer of the provincial government of Negros Occidental, to the Office of the Governor effective March 5, 2021.
This is in response to the petition of the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees, signed by 560 members, requesting Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson to remove Palic as Human Resource Officer for allegedly causing miseries to their lives.
Diaz said that Filomena Guzon has been designated as officer-in-charge of the Human Resource Management Office, while Palic will be assigned to the Office of the Governor to oversee the provincial government’s takeover of the Cyber Center.
“We need a lawyer, somebody of her experience also as a Human Resource officer. We want to give her a chance to look at another role in the province of Negros Occidental,” Diaz said.
PACE president Renelo Lastierre accused Palic of “causing miseries to the lives of Capitol workers, including her policies of requiring employees who have been quarantined (by virtue of government regulation on Covid-19) to file a leave of absence and clearances to that effect, asking too much requirements from retiring employees, delay in the releases of special risk allowance, non availment of longevity pay, unreasonable transfer of some health workers, and deliberate delays in the preparation and release of the job order workers plantilla.”
But Diaz said the purpose of Palic’s reassignment is aimed at allowing an independent group of people to look at allegations of PACE members.
“We would like also to prevent somebody to use their position or authority to retaliate against the petitioners,” he said.
Recalling that there was an earlier petition from PACE against Palic, Diaz said he requested the union not to pursue it and to give the Human Resource officer a chance to work with the employees under the leadership of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.
A year and eight months after, Diaz said similar complaints have been aired against Palic, which Lacson could no longer ignore.
“We have to act, in order to protect the rights and interests of the employees,” he stressed.
Diaz also explained that the reassignment of Palic is nothing new, since it was done before by former Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr.
He recalled that Palic was then replaced by Lucille Pines as acting Human Resource officer, before her reinstatement.
“I think she should also listen to the sentiments of our employees,” Diaz said.
Daily Guardian is still trying to get the side of Palic.
