The Civil Service Commission has affirmed its earlier decision finding former Negros Oriental State University President Dr. Henry Sojor guilty of Nepotism in a case filed more than three years ago.
The Resolution, dated July 31, 2012, was signed by CSC Chairman Francisco T. Duque III and Commissioners Mary Ann Fernandez-Mendoza and Robert S. Martinez.
The Resolution denied the Motion for Reconsideration of Sojor dated February 1, 2011, saying he failed to present any new evidence which may warrant the reversal or modification of the questioned Decision.
The case stems from a complaint filed against Dr. Sojor for allegedly hiring the services of his half sister, Estrella Sojor Mananquil, as a casual clerk of NORSU.
In his defense, Sojor questioned the jurisdiction of the CSC to render the Decision in question. Board Member Saleto Erames, legal counsel of Sojor, raised the issue that the Civil Service Commission Chairman and some Commissioners who signed the Decision were not the ones who conducted the hearing of the case.
Erames said the role of the Commission is to review decision on administrative cases but in this case, they usurped the jurisdiction of SCS Cebu, which assumed original jurisdiction on this case.
The CSC meted the penalty of dismissal from the service with all the accessory penalties of forfeiture of retirement benefits, disqualification from re-employment in the government service, cancellation of eligibility and bar from taking any civil service examination.
Sojor, however, retired as NORSU President last July 13. Erames said that that Sojor’s adversaries may only have “a partial laugh because it did not catch up with Sojor when he was still in office.”
Erames, meanwhile, said he had yet to receive a copy of the Resolution, but said it’s not yet too late to resort to other legal remedies.
He said Sojor may appeal the Decision before the Court of Appeals or even all the way to the Supreme Court.
