In a forum with the Capampangans in Media, Inc. (CAMI) here, Lacson said PDEA’s refusal has prompted the Ombudsman to revert to its board of evaluators the case accusing her of conduct unbecoming of a public official.
On Sept. 7 last year, PDEA agents raided a four-hectare piggery and found there an underground shabu laboratory. Seven Chinese nationals were also arrested, including a married couple whose five children were later turned over to government social workers.
The piggery was reportedly used as mere front. Lacson admitted that a few days after the raid and after consulting with the authorities of the Department of Interior and Local Government and other officials, she sold over 4,000 pigs in the piggery for P7 million, as some pigs were already dying and the lack of local government resources to maintain the piggery.
She said the pigs were sold to Bacolor Mayor Jomar Hizon, son of the owner of Pampanga’s Best firm which processes pork products.
PDEA insisted that the pigs were part of the evidences against the arrested Chinese nationals.
Lacson said the P7 million was turned over to the Regional Trial Court Branch 62 in Angeles City pending her inquiry before the court on how the funds should be dealt with.
“The fact that the Ombudsman did not docket the case filed by PDEA and proposed instead a mediation indicated no administrative nor criminal case was found against me,” she said.
Lacson said, however, that she has remained open to mediation, pending another review of the PDEA case by the Ombudsman’s board of evaluators.
