BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – The Capitol legal office is probing six employees of the Provincial Agriculturist Office who might have violated their travel orders for drinking booze on official travel.
One of the six, whose names were withheld by Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr, also allegedly badmouthed another Capitol employee who reported the incident to PAO head, Eduardo Causing.
Initial accounts showed the six were sent on official travel on 15 July 2022 to Victorias City to attend a meeting and made the driver of the government vehicle they used wait for several hours without informing him where they went.
Lemuel Gravino eventually found them around 8pm drinking in a seafood restaurant near the Victorias City Hall.
They invited Gravino to join them but he declined after which he informed Mario Pequit Pequit, the Capitol Cab in charge, about the incident.
Pequit Pequit, who reported the incident to Causing, was reportedly badmouthed by one of the six for reporting the incident to Causing.
The six might be charged for misconduct and misuse of government property and were given five days to submit their affidavits under oath to explain why no criminal or administrative cases should be filed against them.
“It will be investigated. We will check, we will verify if there is a basis why they went beyond their Travel Order, and know what was the side of the person who badmouthed him,” Nellas said.