Hunger striker hospitalized

ILOILO CITY—A dismissed Antique provincial official, who has been on hunger strike to protest his non-reinstatement, was hospitalized on Monday after complaining of dizziness in the capital town of San Jose.

Eric Otayde was taken to Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital in the capital town of San Jose at 12:15 p.m.

“He was very pale and weak,” said Bienvinido Nalles Jr., president of the United Provincial Government Employees of Antique, which is supporting Otayde’s protest.

Otayde, 49, a provincial information officer, was on his fifth day of hunger strike to protest his non-reinstatement and nonpayment of his back wages and benefits. A diabetic, he has been taking only biscuits and water at a tent in front of the provincial capitol.

Gov. Exequiel Javier ordered the termination of Otayde’s employment in August 2010 on grounds that his appointment was coterminous with outgoing Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has ruled that Otayde’s termination was illegal, but Javier questioned the decision in the Court of Appeals.

Otayde has been calling on Javier to implement the CSC ruling.—Nestor P. Burgos Jr.