By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Office (PLO) has ordered a 60-day preventive suspension against five personnel from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) following the alleged drinking binge during an official travel in the province’s Victorias City last July 15.

In an endorsement dated August 18, PLO head Atty. Alberto Nellas, Jr. ordered the Provincial Human Resources and Management Office to place the following OPA personnel on a preventive suspension:

* Engineer Jimbo Garsula, Engineer IV

* Engineer Ramelo Letran, Engineer III

* Engineer German Abihay, Engineer III

* Engineer Rezin Palacios, Engineer I

* Maria Luisa Abaño, PDA

All five OPA personnel were accused of the misuse of government vehicle and grave misconduct.

According to the complaint filed by a provincial government driver, the five went to Victorias City Hall on “official travel” last July 15.

However, by 8:00 p.m. on the said date, the driver claimed that the five failed to show up for the return trip to Bacolod City and it was later discovered that the five were in a drinking session inside a restaurant.

One of the involved OPA employees allegedly threw expletives against the driver after he told them they needed to return to Bacolod City.

After being slapped with show cause orders, one of the OPA employees replied stating, it was “an insult to refuse the hospitality of the counterpart of an agriculturist of Victorias.”

Meanwhile, personnel from the Victorias City Agriculturist Office have also been placed under investigation by Mayor Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez, who has expressed his disappointment over the incident.
“We do not tolerate unprofessional acts especially during official business,” the mayor said./DGB, WDJ