- MITCH M. LIPA
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is considering an “outsider” to replace Atty. Japhet Masculino as head of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.
In the meantime, Lacson appointed Dina Genzola as OPA officer-in-charge effective July 1, after he approved the early retirement of Masculino that took effect June 30.
Genzola, who is a supervising agriculturist, will oversee the daily operations of OPA and will report to the Office of the Governor and the Provincial Administrator.
Lacson said he will still conduct an interview with the “outsider” prospect if he is the right person to lead the department.
Several days before the retirement of Masculino, the third show-cause memorandum order was issued for him to explain the 23 unfinished projects contracted by the OPA. These projects amounted to several millions of pesos and covered years 2014 to 2017.
Masculino earlier said he only assumed as OPA head in 2017 but the office has pertinent documents regarding those projects.
The second show-cause order was about the alleged under-specification features of an agricultural equipment, and the first order that was issued last month before he filed his early retirement was about the more than P1 million unpaid catering services for year 2018.
Masculino had said he was willing to just pay for the catering services since it was difficult to reconcile the documents. – MML
