I go along with Monica Andaya’s wish for new Bureau of Immigration (BI) head to stay on “daang matuwid” (Letters, 8/17/13). However, in the spirit of fair play, I would like to express a contrary opinion to her suggestion that BI was on “daang matuwid” during the time of Commissioner Ricardo David Jr.
Andaya, an immigration officer (IO), may have had her luck at the BI then, but I was a hapless victim of grave abuse of discretion, a fact I shared in two letters: “Hiring and promotion abuses in government” (Inquirer, 6/20/12); “Inquirer news item raises hope for ex-BI employee” (Inquirer, 2/22/13).
Without political connections, it seemed brains alone were not enough to get me a much-deserved permanent appointment at BI, even after serving on a contractual status for more than three years.
I saw hope when General David was appointed BI chief. Early in office, he vowed to hew to a merit system. In one of his speeches, I remembered him talking on the sad plight of an IO who, after 30 years in the service, retired without ever being promoted. He said that the bureau was at fault there, and that should not happen during his leadership.
His sincerity was put to an acid test when I topped the shortlist for IOs (after an exam and panel interview) as certified on Jan. 19, 2012 by the Personnel Selection Board, then headed by now officer in charge Siegfred B. Mison. On quick notice, I and 20 other shortlisted applicants were called to attend on Feb. 27-March 23, 2012, the 1st Basic Immigration Officer Training in Clark, but due to prior commitment with Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD, and Fatima Soriano, whom I had to accompany to Samar on March 1, 2012, I requested to join the second batch on April 16-May 11, 2012, which, according to training officer Ma. Hazeline Pia Barroso, I could attend.
I met Comimissioner David in his office in April 2012 (prior to the scheduled second training) for interview. Among many other questions, he asked me how old I was. Upon learning about my age, he ended the interview. The next thing I knew, I was no longer on the list for the second batch of trainees and I had been “delisted” because I was already 42 years old.
But among those who were eventually hired were much older than me, and there were those who also failed to attend the first training.
I cried a river over David’s unfairness. But who could argue with a former general of the Armed Forces? No amount of letters of appeal moved David and his staff. Adding insult to injury, when my article “Hiring and promotion abuses in government” (Inquirer, 6/20/12) came out, I was sacked, effective June 30, 2012, allegedly for tardiness/absences, about which I did not receive any warning.
Was this “daang matuwid”? Wasn’t I qualified when I made it number one on the shortlist?
With David’s out of BI, may I use this opportunity to appeal to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to rectify the wrong done to me. And to President Aquino to at least help me find government employment so I can journey with his administration on “daang matuwid.”
—BELEN DOCENA-ASUELO,
bdasuelo@yahoo.com