SENATE President Edith Deleon Guerrero on Tuesday prefiled Senate Bill 23-11 to prohibit moving a civil service employee to a temporary position for political reasons.
The bill, which will be introduced in the Senate’s next session, would add the following provision to civil service law: “No person in the civil service system shall be removed from their official position and temporarily assigned to another position based on political affiliation or any political reason.”
S.B. 23-11 states that public employment statutes provide a system of personnel administration based on merit, principles, classification of positions, conduct, movement, and separation of government employees.
The law also provides that government employees shall hold their positions free from coercion, discrimination, reprisal, or political influence, the bill stated.
It added that a government employee holding a civil service position shall not be favored or discriminated against based on age, race, sex, religion, political affiliation or place of origin.
The bill noted that “certain government civil service employees are moved from their official civil service position and temporarily reassigned to another position solely based on political reasons. This practice is against existing Commonwealth laws and the Personnel Service Rules and Regulations.”
In July 2022, Customs Director Jose C. Mafnas sued then-Finance Secretary David DLG Atalig and Office of the Governor Chief of Staff Wil Castro in federal court for removing him from his post and transferring him to the Department of Commerce as director for export, importation and public outreach, which, according to Mafnas, was not a designated position under the civil service.
Mafnas supported Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang in the November gubernatorial election.
Edith Deleon Guerrero
