By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Two employees of Negros Occidental Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) are now facing administrative charges in relation to the missing fertilizers worth P2.3 million last April.

Atty. Alberto Nellas, Jr. of the Provincial Legal Office said on Tuesday, June 6, agriculturists Joy Cardinal and Herminigildo Basilio are facing charges for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and malversation of public funds.

They were slapped with 60-day preventive suspensions.

Nellas said Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson had found prima facie cases against the two employees for administrative charges, based on evidence submitted by the involved parties.

He added that the persons-in-charge of the Negros First Rice Processing Center (NFRPC) warehouse in Bago City’s Barangay Tabunan, said they received 2,000 bags of fertilizers from the Department of Agriculture for safekeeping and distribution to the local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental.

The Cauayan LGU reported they were not able to withdraw their fertilizer bags from the warehouse since there were no more bags left.

A total of 789 fertilizer bags valued at P2,367,000 underwent inventory at the warehouse.

Both Cardinal and Basilio were in-charge of the warehouse at the time of the fertilizer bags’ disappearance.

“Pursuant to Section 23 in relation to Rule 27 of the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service, the respondents are hereby directed to answer the charge in writing, under oath within three days from receipt hereof,” Nellas said.

The respondents were also advised to indicate whether or not they will opt for a formal investigation.

Nellas added that failure to answer within the allotted time period shall be considered a waiver to submit the same and the case shall be decided based on available records./DGB, WDJ