Samar gov told: Answer rap from whistle-blower

TACLOBAN CITY—The Office of the President (OP) has ordered Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan to answer a complaint accusing her of vendetta in the case of a whistle-blower who led a petition to unseat the governor and is fighting to reclaim the government position that he lost after exposing alleged corruption in the provincial government.

In a one-page order signed by lawyer Ronaldo Giron, of the OP, Malacañang gave Tan 15 days to answer the complaint filed by Aurelio Bardaje Jr.

Bardaje accused Tan of oppression, harassment and abuse of authority for refusing to reinstate him as administrative officer of the provincial health office.

Bardaje said Tan’s refusal to reinstate him is a “clear case of vindictiveness.” Bardaje had led a recall petition against the governor and her brother, Vice Gov. Stephen James Tan, seeking to unseat the siblings for being alleged stooges of their mother, former governor and now Rep. Milagrosa Tan.

A staffer at the governor’s office said Tan has yet to receive a copy of the Malacañang order because she is on maternity leave since October.

On Dec. 7, 2010, Bardaje initiated a recall petition against the Tan siblings at the Commission on Elections in Catbalogan City. The petition, however, was dismissed after its proponents failed to get the required number of signatures to get it moving.

Bardaje had been removed from office by Milagrosa Tan when she was still governor in June 2007 due to absences. But Bardaje’s dismissal came after he executed an affidavit on Nov. 17, 2003 exposing the alleged corruption of Milagrosa Tan.

He appealed his dismissal at the Civil Service Commission (CSC) which ruled in his favor on July 13, 2009. The CSC described the dismissal of Bardaje as “not in order” and “done whimsically.” Milagrosa filed a motion for reconsideration which the CSC junked on Sept. 14, 2009.

On July 30, 2010, the younger Tan, who had assumed office as governor at that time, filed a motion for reconsideration which the CSC also denied in a decision that also ordered the incumbent governor to reinstate Bardaje.