Bacolod City – The Provincial Legal Office is investigating two Capitol employees assigned at the Office of the Provincial Agriculture, along with three security personnel, in connection with 789 missing sacks of fertilizer, at the Rice Processing Center warehouse in Brgy. Tabunan, Bago City, Negros Occidental.
The missing fertilizer is valued at P2.3 million.
Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Alberto Nellas Jr. said that they are entertaining the possibility of an inside job, noting that there was no forcible entry or damage to any portion of the warehouse where the missing items were stored.
Nellas disclosed that they received a report from the OPA and Security and Safety Division on April 3, although it was discovered way back in October last year.
The discovery was made in October after the municipal government of Cauayan tried to withdraw its share of fertilizers from the Rice Processing Center warehouse in Brgy. Tabunan, Bago City. The fertilizers were given to the provincial government as a grant by the Department of Agriculture, for distribution to various local government units.
Nellas said that a show cause order will soon be issued to the OPA and security personnel assigned to the warehouse.
The concerned OPA and security personnel have already been reshuffled, pending investigation into the incident.
Nellas said that the OPA investigation report showed discrepancies, such as the physical count of delivered items, deliveries being made during night time, delivery receipts allowed to be issued later than the actual delivery, and watchmen having noted that the seal of the cargo container was damaged upon arrival at the RPC. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)