Committee starts probe on City College

THE AD HOC committee created by Mayor Jose “Joe” Espinosa III has started the fact-finding investigation on the alleged controversies at the Iloilo City Community College (ICCC).

City Administrator and lawyer Hernando Galvez said they have already conducted an inventory of the school as well as “discreet information gathering.”

“We want to assure that as early as last week, we have already taken photographs so that we have a little knowledge before we subject the resource persons to questioning,” he said.

The ad hoc committee created by the mayor on Aug 31 was tasked to look into the complaints filed by four ICCC teachers on the alleged non-implementation of the Magna Carta for Teachers particularly the salaries; promotion and regularization unqualified teachers; giving of substandard salaries; realigning of budget; and use of obsolete school equipment particularly on books, among others.

Galvez heads the committee while the members are City Legal Office officer-in-charge Atty. Ruledo dela Cruz and lawyers Mary Milagros-Hechanova and Mark Piad.

The investigation was also triggered by a letter from the Office of the Ombudsman referring to the Office of the Mayor “for proper action” the complaints of the four teachers.

“We will be sending the result to the Ombudsman,” he said.

Prior to the investigation, the CLO recommended the relief of ICCC administrator Maria Mathilde Treñas-Octavio “to give way to the smooth and unhampered access to official records and documents.”

Octavio was also relieved as administrator of the Technical Institute of Iloilo City (TIIC).

The relief order took effect Sept 12.

A City Hall source said Octavio was transferred to the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO).

ICCC’s Associate Professor V Catalina Sanico was designated as the school’s officer-in-charge while Joel Labatorio was designated as officer-in-charge of TIIC.

SOURCE: The Daily Guardian

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