- GILBERT BAYORAN
In the wake of perceived conflict between two Negros Occidental provincial government department heads, the members of the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees Board of Directors (BOD) suddenly joined the fray and removed Renelo Lastierre as their chairman and president.
The removal of Lastierre as PACE president was confirmed July 21 by Ruben Diamante, who was elected by majority of the BOD members as the new union chairman, following a special board meeting they conducted.
This was after the BOD, on motion of board member Ryan Cuadra, declared all executive board positions – from chairman to sergeant at arms – vacant, and unanimously approved by nine of its 11 board of directors, Diamante said.
But he stressed that Lastierre remains as member of the board.
While he cannot categorically cite the grounds for the removal of Lastierre, Diamante, who had served twice as PACE president, said it was decided by majority of the BOD.
He also clarified that nobody manipulated, or ordered them to do so, stressing that PACE has nothing to do with the perceived conflict between Lastierre and Provincial Administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz.
Lastierre was stripped of his supervision over the Capitol hired “blue guards”, issued firearm and service vehicles. But his supervision over Capitol-hired watchmen remains, although some of them were not rehired by the provincial government.
The Capitol hired watchmen, deployed to secure the properties of the provincial government in different areas of Negros Occidental, were ordered to report to the Safety and Security Division, headed by Lastierre, at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City.
Diamante also strongly debunked insinuations that PACE is taking sides.
Lastierre said that Merly Frio, who is the PACE secretary, has no authority to call for a meeting, stressing that under the union’s constitution and bylaws, “it is the chairman”, who has the authority to do so.
He further stressed that there was no ground for him to be removed as PACE president.
Lastierre added: “I believe the governor has nothing to do with this”./GB
