Marañon: Bring ‘overpriced’ sheep to court

LAWYER Jose Maria Valencia dared those accusing the Provincial Government of alleged overpriced acquisition of sheep from Australia to file charges in court if they have the evidence.

Valencia, who is also the Provincial Legal Officer and Chief of Staff of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., said he has heard and read the news about the sheep issue and dared thus to bring the matter to court so there will be an arbiter who would decide.

Valencia, who has been the spokesperson of Marañon, also said starting Tuesday lawyer Pauline Tumonong-Nuega will help him as the governor's spokesperson on legal matters, along with Provincial Administrator Enrique Pinongan on administrative concerns.

He said they were designated as spokespersons because the governor has been busy and often goes out of town.

Mayor Magdaleno Peña of Pulupandan, an ally and relative of Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez who is running against Marañon for the governorship, came out with the issue of the alleged overpriced purchase of sheep by Marañon and Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Renante Decena.

Peña pegged the alleged overprice from P40 million to P60 million and he challenged the Provincial Board Members to file a plunder complaint against Marañon and Decena to prove that their approval of the purchase was done in good faith.

Valencia said the issue is politically motivated.

"The transaction was duly approved by the Provincial Board (PB). I don't know if the process will allow that and if the internal rules of the PB would allow that. The PB is autonomous but how can they raise legal questions when they have approved it," Valencia said.

He further said that the PB began to question the purchase of sheep and changed their mind on the matter only when they decided to run against the governor.

In his letter to Decena where he pointed out what he described as a very irregular purchase, Peña stated that he based his figures on prevailing sheep prices from 2009 to 2012 on, among others, online sources.

"The best way to resolve the matter is to bring this to the proper forum which is the court," Valencia stressed. (TDE)