8 Tagum gov’t employees suspended for theft of truck tires

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte – Eight employees of the local government of this city have been suspended in connection with the theft of four truck tires last month, officials said Monday.

On Monday, the Sangguniang Panlungsod or city council invited heads of several city government offices to shed light on the matter, even as Mayor Allan Rellon ordered the suspension of the employees after word of the pilferage at the city motorpool reached his office.

Edna Quilario, human resources management office head, said three guards under the Security Management Office (SMO) and five employees of the city engineering office (CEO) were suspended even as an investigation into the alleged theft of four truck tires worth P42,000 was under way.

“While an investigation is ongoing, we have ordered a preventive suspension for the five (CEO workers) and seven days’ suspension for the three SMOs,” Rellon said in an interview with a local radio station.

Quilario said Rellon had ordered an investigation and based on initial results, it was established that the theft the tires happened in the night of Oct. 18 or in the early hours of Oct. 19.

Elmer Rellon, SMO head and the mayor’s brother, told the city council there was no entry on the guards’ logbook showing the tires were indeed taken out of the stockroom and out of the motorpool’s premises.

The SMO guards were supposed to check and record incoming and outgoing persons and vehicles.

“Accordingly, the stockroom was not properly secured due to an absence of a padlock. When a check was conducted on Oct. 20, the tires could no longer be located,” Rellon said.

Councilor Oscar Bermudez suspected a conspiracy between the guards and some motorpool employees and urged a deeper probe into the matter.

The councilors also noted Quilario’s report that one of those involved had stopped reporting for work since Oct. 20 although the formal investigation started only four days later.

She declined to reveal the names of those involved though.

Quilario said one of the suspended workers had reportedly been fired by the previous administration due to alleged theft of gasoline and other supplies at the motorpool.

“He was reportedly transferred to the Davao del Norte capitol, but was also booted out due to similar allegations,” said Quilario. “He is the only one who has a (previous) docket. The rest are first-timers.”

She said the guards were suspended “so they could not exert undue influence on witnesses.”

Crisanto Aala, city motorpool chief, said he had recommended the termination of over a dozen employees due to alleged involvement in irregularities, but Mayor Rellon retained some of them.

Rellon, the SMO head, said his office would request to be allowed to conduct a physical survey of the motorpool to strengthen security and control of its premises.

Quilario said the results of the investigation would determine if cases would be filed against those involved.

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