Two more show cause orders were issued to Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino, who is set to retire from public service effective today.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Masculino is being asked to explain the 23 unfinished projects under OPA and the delivery of a farm equipment that has different serial numbers and specifications compared to its supporting documents.
Diaz said Masculino is accountable for the unfinished projects covering the period from 2014 to 2017, since they were being implemented under OPA and funded by the Department of Agriculture.
He said each project cost at least a million of pesos and most of them are irrigation projects located in the different parts of the province.
Masculino, in a phone interview with NND/NWI, said that if the 23 irrigation projects in question were contracted in 2014 to 2017, then it was under the supervision of the previous head of the OPA.
Masculino heads the Economic Enterprise Development Department of the provincial government before he replaced former OPA chief Igmedio Tabianan in March 2017.
As to the alleged inconsistency in the documents of a farm equipment delivered to OPA, Masculino said he has the documents to prove otherwise.
The outgoing provincial agriculturist said he is yet to see the content of the show cause order and he is willing to answer all the questions.
Earlier this month, Masculino was issued a show cause order for the non-payment of P 1 million to a catering services contracted by OPA in 2018. Diaz said investigations on this were concluded and the findings were forwarded to the Office of the Governor.
Masculino, 62, filed for an optional retirement after 39 years of public service. – MML
