SEVERAL employees of the Provincial Government said the P2.5 million worth of books the Capitol purchased from a supplier last year could not be found in the stock room where they had been usually kept.
The textbooks that were purchased last year from St. Mary’s Publishing Company are supposed to be distributed for the school children in Negros Occidental province.
The purchase was made sometime in 2009 by some executive assistants of Governor Isidro Zayco, said an employee who refused to be identified.
Some of the Provincial Government employees said they noticed the pullout of the textbooks from the stock room but they expressed suspicion as the books were not distributed last year because the Capitol had not paid the supplier.
They also said the book distribution is no longer timely in nature because classes are already close to summer and about to end their term.
The employee who refused to be named also said that payment for the book purchase is underway.
Zayco could not be reached for comment on the issue as of Tuesday night.
Also, the problem on payment reportedly surfaced after it was found out that the supplier is not accredited by the Department of Education.
The book purchase, according to the source, did not pass through the Provincial School Board.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Legal Office said it is now fast-tracking investigation on the alleged “check scandal” last year that, according to PLO officer Ernie Magaspag, bears “irregularities and illegal proofs”.
Magaspag said his office is now working closely on the last three remaining affidavits out of the 20 complainants who were victims of an “illegal transaction” at the Capitol.
The transactions involved were the project assistance of the Provincial Government to selected qualified beneficiaries of the Food for Work.
The beneficiaries said they were surprised to know that their names have been used to claim for the said financial assistance, through a land bank check, without their own knowledge.
Worst is that somebody claimed for the beneficiaries’ behalf.
Magaspag said his office will present to the governor their findings on the merit of the investigation this month so that appropriate measures can be adopted.