Noy told: Scrap term extension of Arroyo diplomats, absorb gov’t workers

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno urged today President Noynoy Aquino to scrap the term extension of Arroyo-appointed diplomats for three months as ordered by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, adding that many of these diplomats were very loyal to ex-President Gloria Arroyo.

KMU said Romulo’s order, which was also recommended by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, sends a troubling signal that the Aquino administration is willing to accommodate Arroyo’s hated alter-egos in foreign lands.

Ambassador to Greece Rigoberto Tiglao was a staunch defender of Arroyo and the brains behind the “Strong Republic” program of the former administration. Ambassador to Indonesia Vidal Querol, who served as National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) director, defended the warrantless arrests of activists during the baseless declaration of state of emergency in 2006.

Meanwhile, Ambassador to Iran Generoso Senga was AFP chief during the height of extra-judicial killings from 2005 to 2006.

“Why should Aquino give these Arroyo men another lease of life in public service? Workers and the people have long wished to boot these men out of government and involve them in Arroyo’s prosecution,” said Joselito “Lito” Ustarez.

“And first of all, why would President Aquino allow Romulo, who is also an Arroyo appointee, to have his way in extending the terms of Arroyo’s loyal men? Aquino should swiftly undo this highly dubious move by Romulo simply by scrapping the memo of the Department of Foreign Affairs,” he added.

“A supposedly new vision for government and foreign relations should be complemented by a change in top personnel for these matters. What message is the Aquino administration sending out to the people of the Philippines and the world? That there really is no change in the vision of the government? What, for example is the new government’s explanation to the world for the extra-judicial killings in the country? Same as the Arroyo government’s?” Ustarez asked.

Absorb gov’t workers

KMU said instead of retaining “rotten appointees” of former President Arroyo, the Aquino administration should retain the tens of thousands of government employees who stand to lose their jobs by July 31.

Under the revised Memorandum Circular No. 1, contractual and/or casual employees whose contracts expire on June 30 shall continue their services up to July 31 only. There are 98,086 casual government employees and 21,319 contractual government employees.

“It is simply unjust for Arroyo appointees to get paid beyond the expiration of their terms even as hundreds of thousands of government employees face joblessness by the end of the month,” said Ustarez.

“We urge President Aquino to avert the massive loss of livelihood by ordering the rehiring of all government casuals and contractuals. That would be a way to prove that he really prioritizes jobs.”

“We wonder why the Aquino administration is so swift in ordering the term extension of Arroyo’s diplomats but is so undecided on whether to retain government casuals and contractuals or not,” the labor leader added.