By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The personnel of the Victorias City Agriculture Office may not be spared from the drinking controversy that took place last month.

Mayor Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez has ordered an investigation to the city’s agriculture office personnel over the incident which also involved the personnel of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).

In a text message sent by the mayor, he said he has ordered the city’s Human Resources (HR) office to look into the matter.

“We do not tolerate unprofessional acts especially during official business,” Benitez said.

Based on the report released by the Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Office (PLO), on July 15 five OPA personnel went to Victorias City for an official trip.

The driver of the provincial-owned vehicle would wait until 8:00 p.m. and later discovered that the OPA personnel, including a senior employee, engaged in a drinking binge with the Victorias City Agriculture Office personnel at a restaurant.

The capitol driver tried to confront the OPA personnel informing them that they need to return to Bacolod City, but the OPA senior employee would throw expletives at the driver.

The driver would later file the complaint against the five OPA employees with the PLO.

Benitez said that he already has a discussion with the concerned individuals from the City Agriculture Office to know their side and to maintain impartiality.

“Victorias City has an Administrative Investigation Committee composed of me, the City Administrator, the City Legal, and the HR Officer which was created by virtue of Executive Order (EO) No. 7,” he pointed out.

“The EO is one of the first 14 EOs I signed on June 30, 2022 because precisely we want to be capacitated to address matters like this pursuant to my administration’s thrust of a professional and disciplined local government unit,” the mayor added./DGB, WDJ