BACOLOD CITY –  It’s still more than a month  before the campaign starts, but Negros Occidental provincial officials and their allies can’t help taking potshots at each other.

After board members such as Patrick Lacson and Manuel Frederick Ko of the Third District, perceived to be allies of Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr., who is challenging former running mate Gov. Alfredo Marañon in the May elections, opposed the approval of the proposed 2013 budget late last year, a word war has ensued between them and the governor’s camp.

With this year’s budget still unapproved, Lacson, son of former governor now Government Service Insurance System chairman Daniel Lacson Jr., accused Marañon of using the more than 2,300 Capitol employees as “baits” to get the budget passed.

This year’s budget includes the employees’ fourth tranche salary increase and remaining additional bonus of P20,000 each.

Atty. Jose Ma. Valencia, Marañon’s spokesman and concurrent chief of staff, said Lacson’s statement was foul and an insult to the governor.

“The statement is so highly irresponsible especially that it came from an elective official. Majority of the employees keep their silence despite the verbal assault. The word bait is demeaning, politically-incorrect and has no place in the league of genuine public service,” Valencia said in a statement.

For his part, Ko said the Marañon camp had been misleading the employees by claiming that the salary increase cannot be paid retroactively.

However, Valencia revealed that Marañon has formed a group to look into the retroactive implementation of the fourth tranche salary increase.

Another contentious issue involves the provincial government’s purchase of Damara and Dorper sheep from Australia last year.

Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno Peña had earlier said Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr., whose candidacy he supports, and the board members should summon the governor and Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena to answer the alleged anomalous and overpriced P60-million sheep purchase.

Lacson said in a statement that the governor should answer allegations himself, not his spokespersons.

“Why all of a sudden, a very vocal chief executive needed a spokesperson? Is there truth to the allegations of the town mayor regarding the overpriced sheep? The answer is simply a yes or no,” the board member said.

Lacson said he and the other board members approved the loan for the purchase of cattle and sheep believing it will benefit the people.

Last week, the Governor’s Office released to the media  figures showing the provincial government acquired the breeder stocks at a much lower price compared to that of the companies based in Subic and General Santos City that that trade hybrid imported and local livestock animals.*