A petition opposing the designation of Jose Solilapsi as officer-in-charge of the Bacolod General Services Office was issued by 46 employees of the GSO on March 10, 2006.

Seventeen of them also requested Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia in another petition to set aside the order of Solilapsi to transfer their office to the former site of the Bacolod Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee at the BAYS Center at San Juan Street, Bacolod City.

Solilapsi was designated by Leonardia as OIC of the GSO on Sept. 5, 2005.

In opposing the designation of Solilapsi as acting GSO head, the petitioners claimed that he is incapable of uniting the whole workforce of the GSO and has been allegedly involved in various anomalous activities in the past. They claimed that Solilapsi was never appointed as OIC in the past administrations due to lack of trust and confidence in his leadership.

Supply Officer 1 Neolan Bataican yesterday said Solilapsi transferred Saturday to the BaSoc building, which has inadequate space, without first meeting with them. He said they do not oppose any transfer so long as the proper process is observed.

Bataican said Solilapsi told them to transfer to the fourth floor of City Hall for the meantime.

The petitioners said Solilapsi told them to vacate their present office at the second floor of the Plaza Mart building without any written order from the Mayor. They were told by Solilapsi that the transfer had the verbal approval of Secretary to the Mayor Roger Balo, the petitioners said.

They also said there is an existing contract between the city government and the Management of Plaza Mart building, thus the GSO cannot simply vacate the office without the legal and proper order of the Mayor. There is already an approved budget of P216 million for the rental of the GSO at the Plaza Mart for 2006, they added.

Meanwhile, Solilapsi said the transfer means a savings of more than P400,000 a year to the city. The monthly rental of the city to Plaza Mart is P37,000 aside from an accumulated liability amounting to more than P100,000.

Solilapsi said he has already informed his staff and division heads of the transfer. He said only the employees of the property division transferred with him, while those under the inspection and administrative division, opted to remain in Plaza Mart. The Mayor plans to transfer the GSO to the second floor of the unoccupied annex building of the Libertad Market, Solilapsi claimed. The program of works is now being prepared by the City Engineer's Office, he added.*CGS

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