By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Acting Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator, Dr. Lucille Gelvolea, said the team tasked with investigating the Negros First Animal Hub, headed by Negros Occidental Assistant Provincial Legal Officer, Atty. Mary Ann Lamis, is set to submit their report on June 15.

“That would be enough time for them to make the investigation and submit their report, or else you (media) may suspect what has been going on,” Gelvolea said.

She pointed out, the provincial government cannot touch the animal hub until the matter is resolved.

“We will have to wait for the final report of the investigation panel,” she said.

Gelvolea clarified, the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) which is chaired by Lamis, was supposed to conduct a pre-bid conference on the proposed P10 million facility.

“If the [pre-bid conference] pushed through, certainly, BAC would also have discovered the structure being built there at the Panaad Park and Stadium,” she said.

A certain Eva Resoor earlier claimed responsibility for construction of the animal hub and admitted they started construction in December last year without any permission from the provincial government or from the “end user,” the Provincial Veterinary Office.

Earlier, however, Negros Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the investigation into the facility had not started yet.

“She said they cannot start the investigation unless the governor issues a certain action,” Lacson explained.

Lamis did not specify what action they are waiting for, the vice governor added./DGB, WDJ