GOVERNOR Ralph DLG Torres is firing certain government employees, according to Reps. Joel Camacho and Celina Babauta.
During the miscellaneous part of the House session at the Rota courthouse in Sinapalo II on Wednesday, Camacho said it was brought to his attention that several government employees have been receiving termination letters, and “some of them are family of mine.”
Camacho, who is supporting the independent gubernatorial candidacy of Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, said he plans to bring up the matter to the Office of the Attorney General.
He also urged government employees who have received “pink slips” from their superiors to see him at his office so he can assist them.
Camacho said this “intimidation cannot be tolerated.”
Babauta, a Democrat, thanked Camacho for bringing up the issue. She said she, too, has been communicating with some government officials as well as attorneys who are ready to assist government employees who received termination letters when the Senate was conducting the impeachment trial of the governor.
Babauta said she was told that those terminations were made “out of retaliation.”
The affected government employees, she added, do not support the Republican governor who is seeking re-election.
“I know six people who have received termination letters already, and this morning, I received another phone call, from a family member seeking assistance after receiving a termination letter,” Babauta said.
To employees who have received termination letters, her advice is “don’t leave their job.”
They should not be intimidated for political reasons, she added. She also urged them to see her or Camacho so that they can provide assistance.
Democratic Rep. Edwin Propst said government employees have rights, and should contact the Office of the Public Auditor, the Office of the Attorney General or their representatives so they can be assisted.
“This is expected and it is a sad time,” he said.
Rep. Sheila Babauta, another Democrat, said sending pink slips to government employees in retaliation “is disappointing and embarrassing.”
For her part, Rep. Tina Sablan, the Democratic candidate for governor, said intimidating government employees is unacceptable; it is “totally an offense to our democracy and it needs to end.”
Variety was unable to get a comment from the governor’s office.
