The Department of Health has ordered Dr. Julius Drilon, medical center chief of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City, to answer the abuse of authority complaint filed by a nurse.
Dr. Abdullah Dumama Jr., Health Undersecretary-Field Implementation and Coordination Team for Visayas and Mindanao, who signed the order dated June 23 by the authority of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, directed Drilon to submit his answer or counter-affidavit to the complaint filed by Milagros Atienza, CLMMRH assistant chief nurse for clinical services, in 10 days.
The complaint for abuse of authority, grave misconduct, and harassment against Drilon was endorsed by the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas and transmitted by the Center for Health Development-Western Visayas.
When sought for comment, Drilon told DIGICAST NEGROS that he will answer the complaint in the proper forum.
Atienza, in her complaint-affidavit, said she was one of the witnesses of the DOH Fact-Finding Committee who conducted an investigation in December 2016 and 2017, whose report was endorsed by the Ombudsman
She was placed under preventive suspension from July 15 to October 15, 2016, and that the decision on her appeal with the Civil Service Commission for illegal suspension ruled in her favor, adding that Drilon then filed a petition for review.
When she returned to work after her three-month suspension and sick leave due to her renal cancer, she was not able to receive her May 2017 mid-year bonus for her failure to submit her Individual Performance Commitment and Review for 2016.
She explained that it was due to the suspension and sick leave that she was not able to accomplish the IPCR, but CLMMRH denied her appeal, Atienza said in the complaint-affidavit.
Atienza also said she did not receive her yearend bonus and performance-based bonus in December 2017, mid-year bonus in May 2018, and that her 2018 yearend bonus was only released in February 2019.
She also said that Drilon issued six show cause orders from May 2018 to April 2019 against her without any decision, “thus hanging like a ‘sword of Damocles’ on my head.”
Atienza claimed that the harassment against her hindered her from fully functioning in her role.
She prayed that appropriate charges be filed against Drilon and that he be dismissed from government service.*