Old-timers at the Department of the Interior and Local Government have raised a howl against several “midnight” appointments made by the high-ranking agency officials who are remnants of the previous administration and who supposedly closed ranks against new officials appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
DILG sources said while Secretary Ismael Sueno was busy with the campaign against criminality and corruption, the “old-timer” officials who are holding permanent positions in the agency were busy filling up juicy positions at the DILG, even appointing their relatives.
“They are threatened by the entry of the Duterte officials who promised to bring change to the agency. This group has a powerful contact in the Office of the Secretary even up to now because they have yet to be replaced. This group is composed of officials loyal to the former DILG secretary,” said a DILG source who has been working there for almost a decade.
The source showed copies of appointment papers and a list of newly-promoted and appointed DILG officials, including two who are close relatives of Assistant Secretary Ester Aldana. Both appointments were signed by Undersecretary for Local Government Austere Panadero, instead of Sueno.
The two officials are Mary Rose Vilchez, who was appointed division chief in the Administrative Services. Vilchez is said to be a cousin of Aldana. Likewise appointed was Romar Panganiban, a cousin of Aldana’s husband, who was named to the post vacated by Vilchez.
Another DILG source presented a list of new appointees whose papers were signed by Panadero. He, Aldana and a certain Veronica Macabale processed the appointment papers, it was learned.
“Panadero and Aldana and other career officers are rushing the appointments, jumping the gun on the incoming officials to be appointed by Duterte. The old-timers are elbowing out the newcomers to protect their interests here and so that change would not arrive here. They have loyal people at the media division, too,” stressed the source.
The source said that once the Freedom of Information (FOI) Executive Order signed recently by President Duterte becomes operational, the media can request for the records of the following Panadero appointees:
Cheryl C. Agustin Flores, Local Government Operations Officer VII with a salary of P67,932; Michelle Tabuso LGOO IV (P40,142); Reynaldo Cusi LGOO IV (P56,937); Joan Aurelia Rosales LGOO V (P47,721); Nicolas Perla, LGOO IV (P41,424); Lyn Aguilar LGOO (P41,424); Israel JIel Fedelicio LGOO IV (P41,424); Teresita Morales Information Researcher II (P28,969); Kennedy Mateo Info Tech Officer II (P56,937); Donna Cuacojes Internal Auditor II (P28,969); Patricia Dahipon, Internal Auditing Assistant (P37,621); Gina Estrada Senior Executive Assistant (P26,891); and Atty. Edward Justine R. Orden, Acting Director of DILG-Legal, Legislative Liaison Services.
“The Duterte administration should be warned about the activities of old-timers here. They are such a powerful clique who are experts in demolition jobs. They will not allow the new Duterte undersecretaries and assistant secretaries to effect changes here,” the source further said.
On July 21, the group, assisted by their powerful contact at the Office of the Secretary, hoodwinked Sueno into signing an order giving Panadero “awesome” powers to appoint, in utter disregard of the incoming Duterte undersecretaries.
On the upper portion on last page of the the three-page order is a paragraph empowering Panadero to approve the appointments of those with Salary Grades 24 to 25 or Division Chief levels, Salary Grade 23 and below, co-terminus personnel, new job orders and those with Salary Grade 23 at the Philippine Public Safety College.
Presently, 90 percent of the Cabinet positions in the Duterte government have yet to be filled up pending the signature of the President.