Employees back Peza OIC amid ‘oppression’ issue

The employees’ association at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) is throwing their support behind the agency’s officer-in-charge Tereso Panga as they refuted allegations of oppression that surfaced during a recent Senate hearing.

In a letter dated Dec 9 seen by the Inquirer, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority Employees Association (PezaEA) denied the accusations made by four employees against Panga, who is also the agency’s deputy director general for policy and planning.

“We strongly refute the claims of the four oppositors that there is oppression within the agency under the leadership of … Panga,” the group said in a letter signed by PezaEA president Grethel Tan and addressed to Trade Secretary Alfred Pascual.

“We firmly believe that an investment promotion agency like Peza should be insulated from politics and to only allow qualified officials to lead the agency. Otherwise, Peza would again suffer from partisan politics,” the letter also read.

A survey conducted showed employees gave Panga a satisfactory rating, PezaEA said.

Sought for comment regarding the complaints lodged against him, Panga said three of the four employees have already been separated from service since their contracts have ended. He said they also don’t have civil service eligibility and performed poorly.

The complaints against Panga were brought up during the confirmation hearing of the Commission on Appointment (COA) for Trade Secretary Alfred Pascual, who sits as chair of the investment promotion agency.