By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Office (PLO) will cooperate with the Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas (DA-6) into the investigation over the disappearance of 789 fertilizer bags stored at the Negros First Rice Processing Center (NFRPC) warehouse in Bago City’s Barangay Tabunan.
PLO head Atty. Alberto Nellas, Jr. said they will join the DA-6’s investigation to determine if there is additional information that could help prove the innocence of the two Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) personnel.
However, based on the evidence gathered, they still have a basis to file formal charges against the two employees.
Nellas also revealed that the employees named another senior OPA employee in their written statements.
However, they do not have affidavits or supporting evidence that could help them.
Earlier, DA-6 regional technical director for operations, Engineer Albert Barrogo, said he had instructed their legal office to conduct an investigation into the missing 789 fertilizer bags at the NFRPC.
He emphasized the importance of a thorough investigation to 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, since there were no more left inside the warehouse.
A subsequent inventory revealed that 789 fertilizer bags worth P2,367,000 went missing.
The two OPA employees, Hermenegildo Basilio and Joy Cardinal, were formally charged in relation to the disappearance of fertilizers, as they were in-charge of the warehouse at the time of the disappearance.
Basilio claimed in his response that he was merely instructed to sign for the fertilizer received from the DA.
He still accepted responsibility over the incident.
The fertilizer bags stored at the NFRPC were given as a grant by the DA.
The Negros Occidental provincial government was responsible for the distribution of the fertilizer./DGB, WDJ