New SBMA Administrator To Take Oath Jan. 9, 2017

SUBIC Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Randy B. Escolango has officially announced the appointment of a regular SBMA Administrator.

Speaking at the last meeting for the year of the SBMA Management Committee (Mancom) composed of Sr. Deputy Administrators, Deputy Administrators, Managers and himself, Escolango said President Duterte has appointed lawyer Wilma T. Eisma.

“We can expect Atty. Eisma to assume the position in a couple of weeks or so. Until then, however, I shall continue to exercise the duties and functions of the OIC Administrator in running the day-to-day affairs of SBMA,” Escolango said.

A copy of Eisma’s appointment obtained by Subic Bay News shows she was appointed on Dec. 21, 2016 but was made public only after she has received her official copy on Tuesday (Dec. 27).

“I will take my oath before the President on January 9, 2017,” Eisma said in a txt message to Subic Bay News. “I need all your support, especially media,” she added, “We need to showcase Subic Bay Freeport inclusive of its adjoining towns/cities as THE destination for tourism and Investment. I cannot do this alone.”

Escolango expressed his appreciation of the SBMA Managers and employees’ support during his stint as OIC Administrator. “Without you, I could not have accomplished anything. Your kindness in sharing your unparalleled skills and expertise in the performance of your respective functions… have proven… the caliber of job and work ethics we have here in SBMA,” Escolango said.

Escolango also urged that they join him “in extending the same support, with vigor and clarity, to Atty. Eisma.” He added: “Her success as SBMA Administrator will be our success. Let us unite, for the sake of SBMA, the stakeholders and the country.”

As SBMA OIC Administrator for around two (2) months, Escolango took on the task on top of his regular post as Deputy Administrator (DA) for Legal Affairs, but received no additional compensation. He thanked his family for their “understanding and unconditional support…”

He managed to take a swipe, however, on SBMA Chairman Martin B. Diño, without naming him, when he said: “…the fact that there is an obstructionist and usurpist new-comer around, the job became really more challenging.”

Diño never recognized Escolango’s designation as OIC Administrator, challenging the designation made by the Office of the President through Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea and Executive Order 340 which separated the offices and functions of the SBMA Administrator and Chairman.

Diño was appointed Chairman of the SBMA Board of Directors by President Duterte on September 23, 2016, but upon assuming office in Oct.3, 2016, he made it plain that he also wants to be SBMA Administrator.

On the same day of his assumption of office, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, president of Diño’s political party PDP-Laban, wrote Duterte asking the president to “amplify” Diño’s appointment, meaning, to include Administrator in addition to being Chairman. It is unclear whether the President responded but what is clear is that the President did not grant Pimentel’s request.

On Oct. 10, 2016, on his own, Diño declared himself SBMA Administrator also, on top of being Chairman of the Board, prompting then hold-over Administrator Roberto V. Garcia to file an irrevocable resignation.

Ignoring Diño’s self-appointment as SBMA Administrator, Malacañang accepted Garcia’s resignation on Oct. 19 and on the same day, designated Escolango as OIC Administrator.

Diño, however, persisted in performing the functions of Administrator, issuing office orders and memoranda voiding and/or countering Escolango’s issuances. Diño also threatened during a flag-raising ceremony that he will file charges against those who will not follow his orders.

But shortly thereafter, the rank & file, through the SBMA Employees Association (SEA) declared their support for Escolango, and the SBMA officers/managers followed suit, “because they know and understand how SBMA operates, but more importantly, they care about SBMA… they cannot allow the misplaced ambition of one man destroy the gains we have so far achieved here in the Freeport,” Escolango explained.

In a letter dated Nov. 28. 2016, the Office of the President, in response to Diño’s Nov. 21, 2016 letter informing Malacañang that he has assumed the office & functions of SBMA Administrator, reiterated Escolango’s designation as OIC Administrator: “Please be advised that the designation of Atty. Randy B. Escolango as Officer-in-Charge, Office of the Administrator, SBMA, has not been revoked by the Office of the President and thus remains in full force and effect.”

But Diño remained defiant despite a a succeeding opinion by the Office of the Govt. Corporate Counsel (OGCC) upholding Escolango’s designation and the Solicitor General’s (SolGen) position that Exec. 340 is legal and binding.

During the SBMA’s Christmas party on Dec. 23, 2016,  Diño issued “show-cause” orders against Escolango and other key SBMA officers, including Sr. Deputy Administrator (Support Services) Ramon O. Agragado, Deputy Administrator (Finance) Antonietta P. Sanqui, Treasury Manager Myrna T. Caseja, Accounting Manager Emelia S. Canonizado, Financial Control & Analysis Dept. Manager Editha Lim-Marzal.

All were given 72 hours to answer “why they should not be held administratively liable” for various charges.

Agregado, Sanqui, Caseja, Canonizado and Lim-Marzal jointly responded, questioning Diño’s “legally baseless exercise attempting to impose disciplinary authority over the undersigned as SBMA employees.”

Citing laws, statutes and documents attached, Agregado and company told Diño that it is “indubitably clear that your good self, as of this writing and with all due respect, are not the SBMA Administrator, and do not have the powers and duties of the SBMA Administrator.

The Appointment of Atty. Eisma is the final straw in making everyone understand that President Duterte never recognized nor intended to make Chairman Diño as the SBMA Administrator.

Upon assumption as SBMA Administrator, Eisma will have to address the charges emanating from Diño’s assertion that he was also SBMA Administrator, including the appointments of Diño’s 14 consultants, among whom are relatives. As Chairman, Diño is not entitled to have his own consultants, thus, his “transition team” that came with him has not been able to draw salaries since October up to the present.

Perceived to have made it SBMA Administrator with the strong backing of Sen. Richard J. Gordon, Eisma’s attitude and actions towards the local government of Olongapo City and Subic Town during her incumbency will be of special interest.

With five (5) members of the SBMA Board of Directors already appointed, namely Benny Antiporda, Stefani Saño, Ma. Cecilia Bobadilla-Bitare, Rogelio G. Roque and Tomas F. Lahom, joining Chairman Diño and Eisma as ex-officio member and vice chairman, there remains eight (8) more members to be appointed but with just one more additional member, the board may already convene with eight (8) members.

Since assuming office in Oct. 3, 2016, Diño has not presided in any board meeting, ignoring the OGCC opinion that he may call for a Board Meeting with the old directors as hold-over members. -30-