Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has dismissed an employee of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist from the service for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and malversation of public property effective immediately.
Lacson, in a decision dated August 8 and released Friday, August 18, dismissed Agriculturist 1 Herminigildo Basilio for the missing 789 sacks of fertilizer from the provincial government’s Rice Processing Center (RPC) warehouse in Bago City.
Basilio was the person in-charge of the RPC warehouse, the decision said.
The dismissal of Basilio from the service carried the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, barring from taking civil service examinations and forfeiture of retirement benefits.
The 789 bags of fertilizer belonging to the Department of Agriculture worth P2,267,000 were discovered missing on October 2022
The respondent’s claim that he is not responsible for the safekeeping nor does he hold the key to the warehouse cannot be given credence, the decision said.
Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. said Basilio received the decision on August 14 and has 15 days from then to file an appeal.
Nellas said Basilio’s claim that he was instructed by his immediate superior to just receive the delivered DA rice that turned out to be lacking was not backed by any written evidence.
The immediate superior who was a division head has resigned from the service for personal reasons, Nellas said.
Basilio could not be reached for comment.*