Eastern Samar ex-mayor faces raps over unfair treatment

TACLOBAN CITY, Aug. 3 (PNA) -- A former mayor in Eastern Samar faces graft charges over unfair treatment to employees for not issuing a return-to-work order and delaying their reinstatement.

Conrado Nicart III, who is now a vice mayor of San Policarpio, Eastern Samar will be charged with violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019).

The charge came after the Ombudsman found that Nicart unnecessarily delayed the implementation of the Civil Service Commission order to immediately reinstate agricultural technician Diosdado Cidro, civil registrar Virginia Acol and budgeting aide Anita Moscosa.

The CSC ruled that Nicart denied due process to the employees when they were dismissed from the service and dropped from the rolls in January 2012.

The CSC also found that the affidavit that was made the basis of their dismissal was executed under coercion.

“The non-issuance of a return-to-work order and the delayed reinstatement of the complainants by the respondent only succeeded to manifest his partiality against them," the Ombudsman stated.

Section 3(e) of R.A. No. 3019 sanctions a public officer or employee who, in the performance of his official duties, has acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith or inexcusable negligence, causing undue injury to any party, including the government, or has given any party unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference.

Nicart, who served for nine years until June 30, 2016 as mayor, is the son of Eastern Samar Gov. Conrado Nicart, Jr. (PNA)

JMC/SQM/RYAN GABRIEL L. ARCENAS/EGR