Local News: Alejandrino’s Family to Take Legal Actions vs. Bacolod Officials

"We are preparing to take legal action on the death of Atty. Nilo Alejandrino, SP Secretary," says Mrs. Melba Alejandrino, wife of the late Nilo. She refused to give details on their legal actions.

But she said, "what happened during the wake it was because that was what we wanted, and nobody dictated us, for I am old enough. We are just fighting for our rights."

This was supported by Atty. Lorenzo Almenaza, Alejandrino’s legal counsel, who said they are now preparing to take legal steps.

Medical bulletin on the death of Alejandrino, 58, at the Adventist Medical Center says he passed away at 5:00 p.m. Saturday due to liver failure - antecedent cause - community acquired pneumonia and pressure sore with sepsis. The underlying cause - pancreatic cancer with liver, lung and spinal cord metastasis. His attending physicians were Dr. Regio Sales and junior consultant Dr. Chris Benedicto.

However, his family claimed that his health deteriorated due to depression after he was suspended and finally dismissed from service with forfeiture of all his benefits.

Melba, who is working in the United States, said their children had difficulty trying to pull her husband out of stress and depression after his dismissal and forfeiture of benefits, since he was not eating anymore.

She said seven days after his dismissal, he had three bags of blood transfusion at the Riverside Medical Center. Six weeks later he died. Before his dismissal or suspen-ion he was in good shape, she added.

Melba said, "If they want to distort that, the records will show that it happened right after his dismissal."

Sources from the SP show, however, that Alejandrino had been on sick leave several times in the past years, due to various ailments for which he had even gone to the United States allegedly for treatment. He had also been confined in the intensive care unit of a local hospital for the same ailments, the source said.

Alejandrino’s family went to the SP Office yesterday to get his personal belongings in the presence of the SP staff who documented everything.

Melba said she considers the decision against Alejandrino involving a chair-dropping incident too drastic and too harsh for a guy who had worked for 24 years with no record at all.

She said if he were a bad guy he would not have served 24 years in the government. His disqualification from re-employment in the government is unjustified, she added.

Melba said Alejandrino had "good track record and was valedictorian and an outstanding employee. One cannot question his leadership."

Alejandrino was meted the penalty of dismissal from the service, cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from re-employment in the government service by the Office of the Disciplining authority of the Sangguniang Panlungsod represented by the Vice Mayor, for the administrative case filed against him by Councilor Ceasar Distrito for having insulted his physical disability and tried to throw him with a plastic chair, however blocked by the SP staff. He refused to submit counter-affidavit for the said complaint despite several extended time for him to comply. Therefore, the office of disciplining authority has decided based on the complaint.

Melba said Nilo told their children that he wanted to rest because he was already tired. But he hanged on until she and their daughter Pearl returned from the U.S. She thanked him for everything especially for taking care of their four children while she was away for several years.

She also thanked those who came to his wake and funeral. "A least he did not die in vain since he still had friends around him," Melba disclosed.*