A Bacolod lawyer has filed criminal and administrative complaints against Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. and Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena before the Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas for the purchase of alleged overpriced sheep from Australia.

Lawyer Roger Reyes yesterday said he filed the complaint as a concerned citizen on December 23 because the sheep imported by the provincial government did not undergo public bidding, were overpriced and not all were accounted for.

He alleged that the misuse of government money in the purchase of the overpriced sheep, commissions and shipping expenses resulted in losses to the province of Negros Occidental of at least P50 million plus losses due to mortality of the imported sheep, in violation of the Anti Plunder Law.

Acting Gov. Salvador Escalante yesterday said, definitely, the complaints by Reyes filed against the governor are politically-motivated.

Reyes is the lawyer of former Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno Peña, who raised the issue of the purchase of alleged overpriced sheep before the May 2013 elections.

This is a free country, they can file the complaints and the governor will answer them at the proper venue, Escalante said.

Meanwhile, the people have spoken and have reelected the governor, he added.

Marañon had said earlier that he was not aware of the charges, but the overprice accusation is an old issue raised even before the May polls by his political opponents.

All the records on the sheep purchase are in order, they were very transparent, and have been audited, the governor said, adding that he is ready to face any complaints.

Reyes said that, in line with the governor's Negros First Development Agenda, Decena endorsed on Sept. 21, 2011 a project proposal for the implementation of the Negros First Ranch Sheep and Beef Cattle Breeding Project with the amount requested at P100 million.

On Nov. 23, 2011, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed Appropriation Ordinance No. 2011-011, allocating P100 million sourced from the Land Bank of the Philippines in the form of a loan.

In March 28, 2012, the SP passed another resolution increasing the amount to P146.59 million, he added.

On Feb. 8, 2012, Reyes said, 5,760 heads of breeding sheep arrived in Bacolod City as stated in the report of the Provincial Veterinarian, he said. Contrary to that figure, the Provincial Veterinarian's Office recorded in their receipt 5,840 heads, he added.

Based on information he gathered, Reyes said, “It is now clear as day that the prevailing market price per head of ewe and ram would cost one fourth to one third of the price quoted by respondent governor's supplier ILEPL (International Livestock Export Pty Ltd.).”

Respondents were duty bound to select breeding sheep with the lowest prices in the market at the time of sale in order to gain higher return on investment for the province, Reyes said, claiming that the price difference was P44.3 million that could have been saved by the province.

Reyes said it is patently clear that the respondents failed to get the most favorable price in the market since other suppliers in Australia have publicly advertised competitive and much lower price quotations for the same livestock.

He also noted the reported death of 400 heads of the sheep following the alleged attack by stray dogs, and of about 100 more from diseases, for a total loss of P6.8 million.

“If the respondents' true intention is to improve livelihood in the countryside, they should not have purchased expensive sheep which cannot withstand the tropical climate and which they cannot even protect from being attacked by stray dogs,” he added.

The respondents should have, instead, invested government money in buying carabaos which are more useful to rice and sugar farmers, he added.*CPG

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