NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said Sunday he cannot react to the supposed criminal and administrative charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against him and 10 others as he has not received a copy of the charge sheet.
“I apparently cannot react to anything I have not seen nor received. If ever there is, indeed, this Ombudsman opinion or recommendation, my legal counsel will respond to it accordingly in the proper forum,” the governor said, adding that “it would be inimical to answer matters done through trial by publicity, which is what the critics of my administration are very fond of doing.”
Marañon was reacting to the distributed copy of the letter of Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Paul Emler Clemente addressed to Atty. Roger Reyes dated Jan. 23, 2017 provided by Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña to the media Sunday.
The letter informed Reyes that charges were filed against 11 provincial government officials and private persons related to the alleged anomalous purchase of the Negros First Ranch in Murcia town.
Aside from Marañon, included were the late Provincial Administrator Enrique Pinongan, Provincial Treasurer Gilda Generoso, former Acting Provincial Accountants Lucille Chavez-Pines and Caroline Isuga, Assistant Provincial Treasurer Lilia Sandy, retired Provincial Assessor Merlita Caelian, retired Provincial Engineer Leoncio Garrucho Jr. along with private landowners Albert Arguelles Jo, George C. Arguelles, and Gloria Arguelles.
The governor said: “In the end, I am confident that the truth will bear us out from these non-issues. Our development initiatives at the Provincial Government are meant to uplift the lives of marginalized sectors, including farmers and other agricultural workers.” (NLG)