TAGUM CITY — After Davao del Norte Provincial Governor, Edwin Jubahib lambasted Tagum City Mayor, Rey Uy in his own press conference a few days ago — Uy hit back in his regular press conference yesterday.
Jubahib, had accused Uy of terminating at least four thousand Job Order employees of the Tagum City Hall saying that hundreds of families will be greatly affected by the move of the local chief executive. Jubahib said that even department heads were not spared by the wrath of Uy and were re-assigned to slaughterhouses.
The Provincial Governor also slammed the lack of drivers by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office which is badly needed in times of emergencies and rescue. He further bared that the Sanggunian never did its job and mandate.
Mayor Uy answered the accusations hurled by Jubahib in his own press conference yesterday. Uy vehemently denied the allegation that he terminated 4,000 job order employees when he assumed office in July 2022. The mayor said, only 2,700 job order employees were no longer renewed providing a huge savings for the city government. The mayor admitted that it is a normal procedure when new administration comes and place their leaders and supporters replacing the old job orders. The local chief added that these job orders were not terminated but their services were no longer required since their contracts already ended.
“That is conduct unbecoming of a governor,” Uy said in his regular press conference. “All lies.. If I were you before you open your mouth, you have to make sure that all the things you have been saying have substantiated facts and figures.. I may lose respect for you,” he added.
With the issue on the re-assignments of the department heads, Uy stressed that it is but a discretion of the local chief executive in which the trust and confidence status matters. He further disclosed that it is allowed by the Civil Service Law. Uy bared the department heads that were re-assigned or transferred were known to be partial during the last elections even disclosing that it is very evident in their facebook accounts.
On the accusation of the governor that there were no drivers in the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, “we have complete drivers here, you are lying,” pointing to the provincial governor.
As to the concern that the Sanggunian did not do its job, Uy said that as previous vice governor of Jubahib he made sure that the SP did its part in crafting laws but the ordinances and resolutions were just left unnoticed by the office of the Provincial Governor.
It can be recalled that Jubahib and Uy were former allies yet their short political relationship turned sour when the Uy camp sided with vice president Sara Duterte. Jubahib is a wel-known protégé of former house speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. It made noises when former President Rodrigo Duterte bared that it was her daughter, then Davao City Mayor Inday Sara who maneuvered the ouster of the former Speaker.