By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas (DA-6) called on the Negros Occidental provincial government to replace the P2.3 million worth of fertilizers allegedly stolen from the Negros First Rice Processing Center (NFRPC) warehouse in Bago City’s Barangay Tabunan.
DA-6 executive director, Engineer Albert Barrogo disclosed that the local government units of the cities of Kabankalan, Cadiz and Bago, and Cauayan town have formally requested their share of the fertilizers.
“May we request for possible solution, particularly, how the missing allocation could be replaced and completely delivered to our affected farmers,” Barrogo, in his letter to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, said.
“We hope that your office can take immediate action relative to this matter,” he added.
The fertilizers, which were included in the DA’s calamity fund, were supposedly to be given to high-value crop farmers affected by Super Typhoon “Odette” in 2021.
Barrogo said the farmers have been waiting for the fertilizers for the upcoming cropping season this year.
A total of 4,170 fertilizer bags were allocated to Negros Occidental, of which, 360 were allotted for Kabankalan, 200 bags for Cadiz, 193 for Cauayan, and 36 for Bago, based on DA-6’s data.
Barrogo has instructed their legal office to conduct an investigation into the missing 789 fertilizer sacks at the NFRPC.
He emphasized that a thorough investigation will identify the true culprits responsible for the theft and ensure that the innocent parties are not implicated.
In October last year, the Cauayan municipal government reported that they were not able to withdraw the fertilizers allotted to them at the NFRPC, since there were no more left in the warehouse.
A subsequent inventory later revealed that 789 fertilizer bags with an established value of P2,367,000 went missing.
Earlier, provincial legal officer Atty. Alberto Nellas, Jr. said the formal investigation hearing for Hermenegildo Basilio and Joy Cardinal, employees of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, will no longer proceed after receiving their response.
Charges were filed against them in relation to the disappearance of fertilizers, as they were in-charge of the warehouse at that time.
For his part, Basilio claimed that he was merely instructed to sign for the fertilizers received from the DA.
He said he still accepted responsibility over the incident.
Nellas said the evidence presented to them was sufficient for them to make a decision on the case.
The fertilizer bags stored at the NFRPC were given as a grant by the DA.
The provincial government was responsible for distribution to its 31 local government units./DGB, WDJ