Raps filed over P146-M sheep import
BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. and provincial veterinarian Renante Decena are facing criminal and administrative complaints filed in the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas for the P146.6-million purchase of sheep imported from Australia.
Lawyer Roger Reyes, who said he filed the complaint on December 23 as a concerned citizen, claimed the provincial government did not hold a public bidding for the purchase of the imported sheep.
Reyes alleged that the misuse of government money in the purchase of the sheep, commissions and shipping expenses resulted in losses of more than P50 million to the province of Negros Occidental, since the sheep eventually died.
In his complaint, Reyes said that in line with the governor’s Negros First Development Agenda, Decena endorsed on September 21, 2011, a project proposal for the implementation of the Negros First Ranch Sheep and Beef Cattle Breeding Project, with the budget request amounting to P100 million.
On November 23, 2011, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan or provincial board passed Appropriation Ordinance No. 2011-011, allocating P100 million from the Land Bank of the Philippines in the form of a loan.
On March 28, 2012, the board passed another resolution increasing the amount to P146.6 million, he added.
On Feb. 8, 2012, 5,760 head of sheep for breeding arrived in Bacolod City as stated in the report of the provincial veterinarian, he said. However, the provincial veterinarian’s office listed 5,840 heads on its receipt, he added.
Based on the information he gathered, Reyes said the prevailing market price per head of ewe and ram would cost one fourth to one third of the price quoted by International Livestock Export Pty. Ltd., the supplier of the sheep imported by the Negros Occidental provincial government.
He maintained that the respondents were duty bound to select breeding sheep with the lowest prices in the market. Other suppliers in Australia have publicly advertised competitive and much lower price quotations for the same livestock, Reyes pointed out.
