- GILBERT BAYORAN
Dismissed Capitol employee Herminigildo Basilio claimed he was made a “scapegoat” over the missing sacks of fertilizer at the Rice Processing Center (RPC) in Brgy. Tabunan, Bago City, Negros Occidental.
“I strongly decry my dismissal from service for grave charges without any evidentiary support,” Basilio, who used to be assigned at the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), said in a statement.
He stressed that he thoroughly explained his side, supported with documentary evidences, in his reply to the show-cause order issued to him.
Basilio said he also provided the names of persons who should be included in the investigation, “if such was made to uncover the truth”.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has approved the recommendation of Provincial Legal Officer, Atty. Alberto Nellas Jr., to dismiss Basilio from government service for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and malversation of public funds or property.
His dismissal took effect Aug. 14.
Earlier, the contract of service employment of Joy Cardinal, likewise assigned at the RPC, with Basilio, was also terminated by the provincial government over the missing fertilizer.
PLO investigations showed that Basilio received the delivery of fertilizer at past 9 p.m. without any coordination with the provincial government of Negros Occidental, which according to Nellas is “highly irregular and runs counter not only to Civil Service rules, but also to the OPA Rice Processing Center Operating Manual of 2022”.
It added that Basilio failed to present any authorization from the Provincial Agriculturist allowing the delivery of fertilizer to the RPC past office hours.
The investigation on the missing fertilizer also prompted Provincial Agriculturist Edmundo Raul Causing and a division chief of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to resign, allegedly for health reasons.
Basilio added that he was no longer in charge of the RPC for more than a year, when the 789 bags of fertilizer allegedly went missing, although he does not have the key to the RPC warehouse.
Basilio also pointed out that he only followed the instruction of his division chief, Alnel “Potchie” Taba, to facilitate the receipt of 1,920 bags of fertilizer from Juantong Agri-Ventures around 3 p.m. on July 4 last year.
He added the fertilizer were unloaded to the warehouse and acknowledged by the watchman/guard on duty and recorded in their logbook.
Nellas confirmed that the immediate superior of Basilio had already resigned, citing personal reasons.
Causing also resigned as OPA chief, for health reasons.
“For me to be made the scapegoat, and dismissed, after more than a decade of loyal service to the provincial government, due to 789 bags of fertilizer that allegedly went missing on Oct. 18, 2022, is simply devastating for me and my family, and shows that injustice prevails at the halls of the Provincial Capitol,” Basilio said.
“I am now left with no recourse but to appeal my dismissal before an impartial authority,” he said./GB
