Danao mayor faces contempt charge

Danao City Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr. and two government officials are facing indirect contempt charges for refusing to heed a court order.

Three employees of the  Danao City Council requested the court to hold the mayor liable for failing to comply with its order to process the payments to the city’s 238 casual employees.

Complainants Herminio Capuno, Carmelita Perales and Eva Miro said the casual employees of the City Council whose salaries and benefits have been withheld “continue to be deprived of their sustenance and life support for more than three months already.

“To date, the payment of salaries and benefits of the 238 casual employees assigned to the Sagguniang Panglungsod (council) has not been implemented.  Employees continued to be deprived of their sustenance and life-support for more than three months already,” said.

Named respondents were Mayor Boy, acting human resource manager Galacito Camaongay Jr., and  budget officer Teresita Almacen.

The complainants alleged the respondents willfully and feloniously committed indirect contempt for failing to observe and to follow  court order

They said the court should impose necessary sanctions against the respondents.

Last July 26, Regional Trial Court Judge Sylvia Aguirre-Paderanga issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) which in effect ordered the respondents to pay the salaries and benefits of their 238 casual workers.

The unpaid salaries and benefits have accumulated to P43 million.

The TRO ordered the Danao City government to desist from enforcing a memorandum issued by  Mayor Durano himself to suspend the processing of payment of the salaries to the casual  workers.

But Mayor Durano vowed not to heed the  court  order. His lawyer, Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu said the budget insertions for the casual’s salaries were unlawful.

She said the 238  casual  workers were not included in the proposed budget for 2012 since their “services have ended.”

The casual employees are working in the local legislature presided by Mayor Durano’s estranged brother Ramon “Nito” Durano who heads the influential Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud) party. /Ador Vincent Mayol, Reporter