ENRILE, Cagayan (PIA) - - The two top officials of this town has engaged into an open dialogue to resolve the brewing issue between the executive and the legislative branches on jurisdiction over the hiring of job order employees. 

Vice-mayor Expedito Taguibao said that 11 job order employees under the legislative department have not received their salaries for six months as Mayor Miguel Decena questioned the hiring authority of the vice mayor. 

Both have sought legal opinions and interpretations from concerned agencies, which include the Commission on Audit (COA), Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Budget and Management, as to who has the authority to hire employees in the local government unit. 

Some of the responses state that the hiring power rests on the chief executive. However, there are also opinions stating that the authority lands on the vice mayor in cases that the hired employees are under the legislative department.

For the sake of the employees, Taguibao adhered to give the authority to the mayor in order for the salaries of the affected employees to be released.

However, Decena wants the office of the vice mayor to submit the pertinent documents of the hired employees to the Human Resource Department, especially the notarized contracts of service, resume, and other pertinent documents as attachments to the vouchers. 

"I have nothing against the employees. What I only want is for me to assess and scrutinize every employee for us to be sure that they are really working for the LGU and that they are really from this town," Decena said. 

Decena said that he is willing to release the salaries of the job order employees as long as the supporting documents will be submitted in compliance to COA rules.  

In the end, both agreed to resolve the issue for the sake of the affected employees and for their town's One Enrile advocacy. (JKC/OTB/PIA Cagayan)