On “overpriced” sheep buy from Australia Mayor to file plunder raps vs Gov Marañon

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Pulupandan town Mayor Magdaleno “Magsie” Peña said Wednesday he will file graft and plunder charges against Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. and provincial veterinarian Renante Decena in connection with the alleged P40-million overprice in the purchase of 5,760 sheep from Australia last year.

Peña said his co-signatories in the charges will be Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr., several Provincial Board members and broadcaster Donard Nojas.

The mayor said he will prepare the charges in seven days, so he was expected to file it next week. He added that 3rd District Rep. Patrick Lacson will accompany them to Cebu to file the case before the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas.

Peña said that finally Lacson will comply with Marañon’s request for him to go to Cebu, but not to visit a rehabilitation center, but to file the charges against the governor himself.

The provincial government had purchased 5,760 sheep, at a total cost of P83.4 million, from the International Livestock Export Pty Ltd of Australia for the province’s food sufficiency program.

Peña earlier said he inquired from livestock farmers in Australia and allegedly found out that the purchase cost of the sheep was “overpriced” by approximately P34.6 million to P44.2 million.

Marañon, in reply to Peña’s plans, said in a text message to The Freeman: “We welcome that, in fact we have long suggested (that), so that the issue will be heard and evaluated by a proper venue, by an impartial arbiter. That is good because in the last two months or so, they have been using (that issue) as a propaganda tool by twisting the facts.”

The governor, lamenting that the “propaganda machine has already gone beyond the bounds,” reminded the media that the purchase “was approved by the vice governor and by the entire PB, through Ordinance No. 003; they concurred with every detail of the transaction, they were the ones who set the selling price among others.”

Peña countered by saying that he already had the communication from a livestock firm in Australia long before Marañon, provincial legal officer Jose Ma. Valencia, Decena, and provincial administrator Enrique Pinongan answered the issue. He allowed them to answer it before issuing a public notice so he could prove that they were all liars, said the mayor.

Valencia had earlier dared Peña to file charges against the governor and if he has evidence to prove that the P80.3-million worth of sheep purchased by the provincial government from Australia last year was “overpriced” by P40 million.

“If they have the evidence, they should file a case in court. We cannot go on arguing about this alleged overprice and there is no arbiter to decide on it,” Valencia said.

“With about P80 million allotted for the sheep purchase, are they saying that what arrived in Negros (5,760 sheep) should have cost only P20 million?” Valencia asked.  (FREEMAN)