The Provincial Legal Office of Negros Occidental issued a “show cause” order against Provincial Agriculturist Attorney Japhet Masculino, over the alleged unpaid or unsettled catering services.
Atty. Alberto Nellas, Provincial Legal Officer, said the issue involves more than P1 million under the office of Masculino, in a catering service last 2018. Nellas said Masculino immediately replied to the show cause order.
“It’s just a show cause order in response to the demand of the catering company,” Nellas explained. The provincial legal officer said they will assess if Masculino will indeed be charged administratively.
Meanwhile, Nellas revealed that results will come out soon regarding the formal investigation against other department heads also issued the “show cause” order. He said the investigation reports against Former Provincial Budget Officer Jose Percival Salado and Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program Division officer-in-charge Ma. Mina Pellejo has already been submitted to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, and results are to come out shortly. He explained that the pandemic delayed the investigation process, although Salado has been relieved from his office, and Pellejo was also issued a “show cause” order.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, however, denied allegations of a “witch hunt” against the department heads, since some of them were identified as having been appointed by the late Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. “There is nothing personal or political,” Diaz said. Lacson, in his formal charge against Salado for “gross neglect of duty”, said Salado, as provincial budget officer, “failed to submit comments, recommendations and/or objections during the discussion of legislation enacted and promulgated by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) in the creation of new positions by the province of Negros Occidental.” Salado denied the allegations and said he would follow the investigation procedure./PN
