NEWS
Employees seek relief of PENRO Matusalem

May a government officer or employee whose appointment has been disapproved by the Civil Service Commission continue to hold on to the position and collect the salary for the same position even if it has been disallowed by the Commission on Audit?

This is the case of Camarines Sur Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Rodolfo Matusalem who continues to serve in the capacity even when he has no valid appointment after his temporary appointment expired on May 11, 2005.

After the CSC invalidated his temporary appointment from May 11, 2005 to May 11, 2006, COA served a disallowance notice for the salaries collected for the period yet he has been allowed to continue to collect his salary not anymore at the PENRO office here in Naga City but at the DENR Regional Office, an act considered illegal and in defiance of the COA ruling.

But that is only the tip of the iceberg.

DENR employees in Camarines Sur said that they are signing a petition asking for the relief of Matusalem not so much because his appointment was disapproved by the CSC for lack of Career Executive Service eligibility but because of his many excesses and abusive manner in dealing with his subordinates.

They said that Matusalem has been frequently observed to be drinking during office hours and once drunk he would return to the office cursing employees. He is prone to using foul language and threatening employees whom he suspects to be behind the petition for his relief.
Sources said Matusalem has directly threatened the termination of several casual employees he suspected against his continuance in his assignment here in Camarines Sur.

His irrational behaviour has so demoralized employees thereby affecting the overall performance of the DENR in Camarines Sur, members of the DENR Employees Union said.

Sources also said that retired DENR Regional Director Oscar Hamada had turned a deaf ear to the complaints of employees and instead continued to pamper Matusalem by allowing him to hold on to his post even after the CSC had invalidated his temporary appointment and COA had issued the disallowance on his collected salaries.

It is unclear if current OIC Regional Director Reynulfo R. San Juan who assumed only last January 19 would listen to the gripes of employees or allow continued deterioration of DENR service to the public by keeping Matusalem on the post he does not.