2 Pampanga mayors in hot water over sale of seized ‘pork’

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has asked the Office of the Ombudsman to charge with graft two Pampanga mayors for the alleged anomalous sale of pork worth P7 million.

The subjects of the complaint were Magalang Mayor Maria Lourdes Lacson and Bacolor Mayor Jose Maria Hizon, who are accused of selling some 4,083 hogs seized from a shabu laboratory in a September raid.

Hizon is the son of businesswoman Lolita Hizon of the popular Pampanga’s Best processed meat brand. He himself represented the company as the only bidder in the public auction held on Sept. 12.

The sale took place five days after the agency raided the Jeowang Farm in Barangay San Ildefonso on Sept. 7, which was used as a cover for an underground “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) laboratory.

Seven Chinese nationals were arrested during the raid, and the hogs were supposed to be used as part of the evidence that they were using the facility as a front for their drugs business.

Citing Section 20 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the complaint said that no property or income derived from the drug operations “shall be disposed, alienated or transferred” pending a court case, because they are placed under the custody of the law.

The complaint also stressed that the pig farm is privately owned, and does not belong to the Magalang municipal government.

Not for disposal

Investigation also found that while Magalang municipal health officer Suzette Yalung recommended the immediate disposal of the pigs on Sept. 8, a representative of Pampanga State Agricultural University certified on Sept. 9 that the animals’ condition was still good.

Yalung also certified on Oct. 18 that she did not see dead pigs, contrary to the statement of Barangay San Ildefonso chair Marcial Alfaro during a council session on Sept. 10 that 120 pigs have already died.

The PDEA cited irregularities in the procurement process, as no chair was appointed for the auction committee, no minutes were ever taken, and no auction report was prepared. The pigs were not even appraised to set the minimum bid price.

The auction committee also claimed to have posted the notices of auction on Sept. 11, a Sunday. This was the day before Hizon wrote Lacson to offer P7 million for the pigs, which the latter accepted the very same day.

Because of this, Lacson, Hizon and Alfaro were accused of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits public officials from causing undue injury to the government and giving unwarranted benefits to private parties.

The complaint also sought administrative sanctions for grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a government employee and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.