BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya ? A provincial official has asked the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate the purchase of 18 sport utility vehicles (SUVs) by the Alfonso Castañeda government without the required approval of the town?s supplemental budget.

?The purchase is already in itself highly questionable because we do not believe that spending P24 million for SUVs is a priority. But the fact that the appropriation has not been approved makes it even more anomalous,? said Board Member Patricio Dumlao Jr.

In December last year, the town government bought 14 units of Nissan Navara, two units of Toyota Fortuner and two units of Nissan Urvan using its share from the real property tax payment collected by the province from American firm California Energy-Casecnan.

CE Casecnan, owner and operator of the Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project (CMIPP) in Alfonso Castañeda, paid the province P750 million as partial payment of its real property tax obligations.

It, however, did so under protest.

Alfonso Castañeda received its share of P337.5 million after town officials submitted a supplemental budget to the province, which supposedly laid out how the town government planned to spend the money.

Under the Local Government Code, town ordinances, such as those allocating local funds, shall be reviewed by the provincial board within 90 days before the town government can disburse the funds for identified projects.

?We are surprised how the town managed to buy all these vehicles when the budget has not yet been passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan,? Dumlao said.

Documents obtained by the Inquirer showed that the purchase of new vehicles was not listed in the town government?s annual investment plan. In the supplemental budget, only P9 million was earmarked for ?procurement of service vehicle? for the mayor?s office.

The Inquirer tried but failed to reach Mayor Jerry Pasigian through his mobile phone on Monday. Members of his staff said they were told that the mayor was sick.

But Vice Governor Jose Gambito downplayed Dumlao?s claims.

?We cannot yet ascertain whether there is something illegal about the purchases because as of now, there is yet no indication that [Alfonso Castañeda officials] have already paid for the vehicles,? he said.

While the vehicles are now being used, Gambito said it does not mean outright that money has been spent to pay for them. Melvin Gascon, Inquirer Northern Luzon