Civil Defense's Esteves barred from speaking at planner's adverse action hearing

A status call hearing was held this afternoon with the Civil Service Commission regarding the termination appeal of Leo Espia. Espia, a Planner with Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense was terminated by Homeland Security Advisor Samantha Brennan in April of this year for an unauthorized breach of GovGuam's network by installing a privately owned server without prior authorization by the agency.

Espia filed a letter of appeal with the CSC on April 27, stating that adverse action was taken without cause.

OCD Administrator Charles Esteves sent a letter to the CSC on May 11 requesting to revoke Espia's notice of final adverse action noting it was 'unlawfully initiated by Brennan' and that she does not have the authority.

During the status call, Espia's lay representative Robert Koss and management representative Assistant Attorney General Donna Lawrence had a heated exchange over whether Esteves, who was present on the call could speak on the matter. Lawrence claimed that Esteves did not have standing on the matter. 

When asked to comment on Brennan's actions, the governor's Communications Director Krystal Paco-San Agustin said the governor's office "cannot comment on matters raised in the ongoing dispute before the CSC."

Paco-San Agustin said that Esteves is presently on military leave.

"Upon completion of his military training, he may resume his duties as administrator of the Office of Civil Defense. Until such time, he is not acting as the administrator of the Guam Office of Civil Defense," she said.

The next status call hearing is set for Wednesday, June 1 at 2 p.m.