• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Another employee of the Negros Occidental provincial government was dismissed from service, in connection with the missing 789 bags of fertilizer worth P2.3 million, at the Rice Processing Center in Brgy. Tabunan, Bago City.
Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Alberto Nellas Jr. yesterday said that the dismissal from government service of Herminigildo Basilio, Agriculturist 1, for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and malversation of public funds or property, approved by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, took effect August 14, after he received the order.
Also terminated by the provincial government on was the employment of Joy Cardinal, also assigned at the Rice Processing Center, and investigated for the missing fertilizers.
Investigations conducted by the Provincial Legal Office showed that Basilio received the delivery of fertilizers at past 9 p.m., and without any coordination with the provincial government of Negros Occidental.
“This is highly irregular. It runs counter not only to Civil Service rules, but also to OPA Rice Processing Center Operating Manual of 2022,” Nellas stressed.
It added that Basilio failed to present any authorization from the Provincial Agriculturist allowing the delivery of fertilizers to RPC past office hours.
The investigation on the missing fertilizers also prompted Provincial Agriculturist Edmundo Raul Causing and a division chief of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to resign, allegedly for health reasons.
According to the PLO investigation, Basilio received 2,000 bags of fertilizers from the Department of Agriculture, as the person in charge of the RPC warehouse, with duty to safe keep, for distribution to local government units in the province.
On allegations of Basilio that he was ordered by his immediate superior to accept the delivery of the fertilizers beyond office hours, Nellas said it was merely a verbal order.
Nellas confirmed that the immediate superior of Basilio, a division head of OPA, had already resigned, citing personal reasons.
Asked if Causing will be investigated, under the principle of command responsibility, despite resignation from his post, Nellas said that the former OPA chief did not sign any documents.
Based on records, it only Basilio who signed documents, he added.
Basilio was the latest OPA employee to be dismissed from government service. Four others were fired from their jobs for using a government vehicle beyond office hours.
The PLO is also wrapping its investigation against Engr. Jimbo Garsula, who is also assigned at OPA, for grave misconduct, in connection also with the use of a government vehicle beyond office hours.
In the August 8 decision of PLO dismissing Basilio from service, it is stated that respondents’ dismissal from the service shall carry with it the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, bar from taking civil service examinations, and forfeiture of retirement benefits as provided for under Section 57(a), Rule 10 of 2017 RACCS.*
