Bambi: Gaylawan was checked up

By NITZ ARANCON,
Correspondent

MISAMIS Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano yesterday claimed that Allan Gaylawan, the rescue worker who died during a drill at the capitol on Friday, had undergone medical examination before he took part in the rescue exercises last week.

Emano told the Gold Star Daily in a phone interview, “Actually,  pag-apply nimo sa provincial capitol, part na kana sa imong requirements–imong  medical certificate, drug test, NBI clearance… Part na siya pag-apply nimo sa trabaho.”

Asked if the 53-year old Gaylawan submitted a medical certificate before he was admitted to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), Emano replied: “Part na siya kon mag-apply man ka ug trabaho diha ka capitol, na-a gyud na imong ipasa kay na-a man poy pareha alang atong gitawag nga 201 File, labi na kay kadto siya (Gaylawan) kay bag-o man to siya na-promote, na-a gyoy mga requirements nga iya pong ipasa adto.”

But a check with the capitol’s human resources management office yesterday showed that Gaylawan was never promoted and he remained a “job order” worker, and that he submitted no medical certificate.

Jessica Galindo, the office’s chief, explained that Gaylawan was a “job order” worker who was not required to submit a medical certificate, and that there was no employer-employee relationship in his case.

Galindo said only regular government employees are required to submit medical certificates.

Galindo also said capitol officials have taken up the matter with the provincial administrator, and they suggested an internal policy for workers in the PDRRMO.

“Amo na nang gi-diskasan nga na-a mi internal policy dapat, then labi na kanang sa PDRRMO kay risky kaayo ang ilang work diha,” Galindo said.

The capitol’s information officer, Nicole Managbanag, said what Emano meant was that Gaylawan was about to be promoted and that the worker was on the process of complying with the requirements. She said Gaylawan’s papers were in Emano’s office.

Asked if Gaylawan’s documents supposedly in Emano’s office included a medical certificate, Managbanag said there was none.

Meanwhile, Emano ruled out the possibility of a capitol investigation into the Gaylawan case even as he cleared the PDRRMO of any liability for the death of the worker.

Emano said he has received an incident report about Gaylawan’s death from the PDRRMO, and he was convinced that there was no negligence on anyone’s part.

Emano said Gaylawan was made to undergo a physical examination before the rescue drill on Friday.

“Dili to siya nga karon lang mi nagbuhat og rappelling. We’ve been doing it before pa gihapon. Ang karon lang gyud, nataymingan nga gi-ataki ra gyud intawon siya (Gaylawan) sa kasing-kasing,” Emano said.

He said Gaylawan was hired by the capitol because he was seen as an expert on rescue operations he being a Navy reservist.

“Trainor to namo siya, sinaligan bali, sinaligan sa pagtudlo labi na sa mga munisipio,” he said.

Emano said Gaylawan had no known health issues when he applied for work at the capitol.

“Kung na-a man, nagto-o siguro siya nga kaya ra kay ang iyang gi-aplayan kabalo man siya nga PDRRMO,” he said.

Emano revealed that Gaylawan had been into multi-tasking. “At the same time, ga-drive siya sa PDRRMO. Unya mi-abot ra gyud ang panahon nga gibawi-an gyud intawon siya sa kinabuhi,” he said.

Emano said there was no negligence on the part of the PDRRMO. “Wala, nagto-o ko nga wala man. Ako gani gi-explain nga  bisan man gani nga kanan mag-drive ta sa dalan kung dunay iro, galikayan gani nato ang iro, iring, kani na hino-on nga kinabuhi sa tawo nga angay gyud ampingan ’no. Gi-abot ra gyud intawon ang panahon nga gi-ataki siya sa kasing-kasing.” (with reports from herbie gomez)