ANOTHER department head at the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol is in hot waters over unsettled or unpaid catering services since 2018.

Provincial Legal Officer lawyer Alberto Nellas said issued with a show-cause order was lawyer Japhet Masculino, head of the Provincial Agriculture Office.

Nellas revealed the unsettled catering involves more than P1 million under the office of Masculjno over a catering service that happened in 2018.

Nellas said Masculino has already sent his answer on the show-cause order.

“It’s just a show-cause order in response to the demand of the catering company,” Nellas said.

He said it would be assessed if indeed Masculino will be charged administratively.

Meanwhile, Nellas said as to the formal investigation against some other department heads who were also issued with the show cause order earlier, the result of the investigation will come out soon.

He said the investigation report against Former Provincial Budget Officer Jose Percival Salado and Ma. Mina Pellejo, officer-in-charge of the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program Division, will come out soon and that it has already been submitted to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.

He said the pandemic delayed the investigation process.

Salado has been relieved from his office.

A show-cause order was also issued to Pellejo.

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Lawyer Rayfrando Diaz, provincial administrator, earlier denied allegations, that such a move towards some department heads is “a witch hunt” against heads identified with former governor Alfredo Marañon Jr.

“There is nothing personal or political,” Diaz said, adding that the governor was running the province “professionally.”

Lacson, in his formal charge against Salado, docketed as Administrative Case 20- 003 for gross neglect of duty, said Salado as provincial budget officer “failed to submit comments, recommendations and/or objections during the discussion of legislation enacted and promulgated by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Council) in the creation of new positions by the province of Negros Occidental.”

Salado denied the allegations and said he would follow the investigation procedure.