An association of rank and file employees of the Commission on Elections on Monday accused the poll body of supposedly granting "selective" incentives when it gave bonuses to Comelec chairman Jose Melo and other officials last Christmas.
Alliance of Comelec Employees in Service (ACES) president Luallah Pama said that while the Comelec employees did not receive any Christmas incentives, Melo supposedly received P77,653 while his staff and regional election directors got bonuses equivalent to one month of their salaries for their role in the 2010 automated elections.
Pama specifically cited poll body finance department director Eduardo Mejos and Comelec's resident Commission on Audit (COA) auditor Resurreccion Quieta, who supposedly received P51,623 and P45,971 respectively.
"We are baffled as to where they find the gall to reward themselves with bonuses last Christmas when the rest of the rank and file got nothing. Do they mean they were the only ones that did their jobs last May 10? Were it not that all the Election Day glitches and snags happened only because of the bad decisions that came from them?" Pama said in a statement released Monday.
Pama explained that Comelec employees have not been getting Christmas incentives for the past two years despite the supposed millions in savings accumulated by the poll body, which is allegedly causing a "creeping demoralization" among their ranks.
Since December 28, several rank and file employees of the poll body have been staging protests during their lunch breaks, demanding the release of their Christmas incentives which Pama says is traditionally given to them by the Comelec.
"We shall continue with our protests until the Comelec en banc heeds the legitimate cries of the rank and file," she said.
In an e-mail to GMANews.TV, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said he has yet to see the original payroll documents indicating the supposed Christmas incentives that were given to Melo, his staff, and other officials.
He noted, however, that it is "inaccurate" to say that only those mentioned by Pama received bonuses last Christmas.
"The truth of the matter is that for FY 2010, the Commission actually granted eight separate bonuses to its employees, on top of the regular benefits granted to government employees," Jimenez said.
Jimenez said that among the eight bonuses were:
- rice subsidy - P8,000
- special financial aid - P7,000
- incentive bonus - one month salary, but not less than P10,000
- across the board allowance - P5,000
- anniversary bonus - P10,000
- special economic amelioration assistance - P10,000
- financial assistance for Comelec Employees - one month salary, but not less than P10,000
- performance enhancement incentive - P10,000
Jimenez likewise explained that the granting of "additional benefits" is subject to the availability of funds.
"This year the savings will be used to defray the expenses for the conduct of the ARMM elections in August 2011. This is in conformity with the directive of the Department of Budget and Management, with the concurrence of Congress," he said.
"The Comelec has given all the benefits it can give," Jimenez added. — RSJ, GMANews.TV
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