CEBU, Philippines – In a province famous for its delicious lechon and political pork, a town government has found itself in a sizzling situation. The Commission on Audit put the spotlight on the Liloan town government’s lechon purchases, dating all the way back to the first half of 2022 when Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco was the mayor.
Christina, daughter of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, served as mayor of Liloan town until mid-2022 when she was appointed to serve in the cabinet of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Based on the list of purchases attached to the audit report, 102 lechons were bought between January to June 2022, during the mayorship of Christina.
State auditors also cited the Local Government Code, which prohibits the use of public funds or property for religious or private purposes. Another transaction questioned by the COA included the purchase of eight lechons for P48,000 for the Semeon Ayuda Christmas Light Up activity on February 7, 2022, months before the elections when Christina was still the town’s mayor.