FOR grave misconduct, two engineers assigned at the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) of Negros Occidental are again facing 60 days preventive suspension few months after they were also suspended for misuse of government properties.
Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. said Engineer Jimbo Garsula, head of the Agricultural Engineering, and Engineer German Abihay were again suspended effective November 7.
They reportedly received under-specified grain dryers that were lacking some parts or instruments, Nellas said, adding that the two had moved for the payment of the machines despite its status.
“The machines were procured in 2017 and were received five years later and it definitely involved a substantial amount," he said.
Nellas added that the preventive suspension is based on procedure under the Civil Service Commission rules to avoid tampering of evidence while the investigation is ongoing.
The two officials were among the five OPA officials and employees that were earlier charged for grave misconduct and Misuse of Government Property and were meted a 60-day preventive suspension on August 25, 2022 after they had a drinking session in Victorias City while on official travel on July 15, 2022.
Nellas emphasized that Governor Eugenio Lacson has conformed with their findings.
He reiterated that the preventive suspension of the OPA employees is not a penalty in itself but rather a mechanism so that the ongoing investigation of the complaint against them would be protected.
SunStar Bacolod is still trying to reach the two Capitol workers for their comment.*