By Dolly Yasa
Bacolod City- “They cannot get away with it.”
This was the statement of Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Tuesday against provincial government employees who are involved or engaged in anomalous transactions and practices.
“They should know by now that this administration is serious to get rid of anomalies,” Lacson said.
He said that the investigation into the alleged “missing” 789 sacks of fertilizer amounting to P2.3 million is still ongoing.
“It’s so unfortunate, I think by now they know that this administration is serious against anomalies, that we will not stop at investigation, I think they should know that all these should stop already. They cannot get away with it once we take notice of it,” Lacson said.
The governor further said that “this is not a warning because we are doing it already,” adding that the provincial government has taken action against personnel engaged in anomalies and some were ordered dismissed from their jobs.
“I hope that our government employees noticed this, that we are serious as far as disciplining our personnel is concerned,” Lacson said.
He said that as to the issuance of the show cause order against those involved in the fertilizer issue, he will leave it to the Provincial Legal Office.
Earlier, Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. said that they are looking at the possibility that the disappearance of 789 bags of fertilizer worth P2.367 million from the warehouse of the provincial government in Barangay Tabunan, Bago City was an inside job.
“There was no forced entry,” Nellas told reporters here.
Nellas also said that the fertilizer was a grant from the Department of Agriculture with the provincial government tasked to distribute it to local governments.
He said the “disappearance” of the fertilizer was discovered after the municipal government of Cauayan went to the warehouse to withdraw their share and found the warehouse empty.
Guv sad with regional sports meet results
Meanwhile, Lacson said he is sad about the outcome of the recently concluded Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet held in Aklan.
“If you ask me if I am happy, I’m not, we got beaten,” Lacson said.
Negros Occidental finished first runner-up in the elementary, secondary, and para games of the WVRAA Meet in Aklan that ended Sunday, April 30.
The province was the champion in the last WVRAA meet.
Iloilo was declared the champion and Aklan was the second runner-up.
But the governor still congratulated all athletes who represented the province in the sports competition.
“They did their best. I will not sugar-coat, we were beaten, we have to accept that, I hope this will poses a challenge for 2024,” the governor further said.
