NEWS BRIEFS
Explain cash advances, Lapu govt told
THE Commission on Audit (COA) called on the Lapu-Lapu City government to send demand letters to employees who have unliquidated cash advances worth over P10 million.
Of that amount, about P7.74 million was taken from the city’s general fund, while P1.64 million and P202,790 were sourced from the trust fund and special education fund respectively.
About P6.99 million was released last year while P2.61 million was allocated in previous years.
Last November 28, the COA sent a circular that served as a final notice and demand to all employees and officers to liquidate their cash advances on or before January 31 of this year.
The audit report stated that the bulk of the unliquidated amount released last year was sourced from the mayor’s intelligence fund worth P4 million.
The amount was released sometime in September last year. The liquidation report for the P4 million intelligence fund from the mayor’s office was forwarded to the COA central office last Feb. 5.
About P1.61 million was allocated for a supplementary feeding program.
The same audit report said six officials and employees had unsettled cash advances totaling P1.89 million. COA warned that failure to settle the cash advances will subject these officials and employees to sanctions. Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos
Barangay treasurer in hot water
A FORMER treasurer of barangay Zapatera, Cebu City will face trial for purportedly misappropriating P1.3 million in government funds.
The Ombudsman-Visayas found sufficient basis to elevate the charges of malversation of public funds against Ma. Carissa Polotan before the Regional Trial Court. Bail was recommended at P40,000.
Polotan will also face another case for failure of an accountable officer to render accounts before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities.
In his resolution, graft investigation and prosecution officer Pio Dargantes said Polotan was given a chance to submit a counter-affidavit and other controverting evidence in order to refute the allegations. However, Polotan failed to do so.
“With the allegations in the complaint (uncontested), probable cause is established that the respondent committed the felony of malversation of public funds,” Dargantes said.
The issue stemmed from the complaint of state auditor Francisca Jumao-as who examined the cash and accounts of Polotan from Jan. 1, 2007 to March 24, 2009.
The auditor found out that Polotan had an unaccountedshortage of cash in the amount of P1,273,580.64.
Demand letters were reportedly served to Polotan for her to immediately produce the missing funds and to explain in writing as to how the shortage came about but were ignored.
Polotan was also directed to produce accountable forms which includes official receipts and bank checks. Still, she failed to do so. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol
Capitol casuals renewed for one month
CLOSE to a thousand employees of the Cebu provincial government will retain their jobs for a month after the Human Resources Department Office (HRDO) headed by Noli Valencia renewed their working contracts after it ended June 30.
After 30 days, they will be subject to an assessment of their performance, said lawyer Ramil Abing, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III’s chief of staff.
Abing said employees whose performances met expectations will be retained after July.
Under the governor’s office, 113 out of its 173 co-terminous employees were given a one-month extension together with 11 casuals from the provincial planning and development office (PPDO).
Contracts of 56 employees from the provincial engineer’s office were extended while all 797 outsourced casuals who are mostly assigned in district hospitals will also remain. Davide said he will review the hiring policies of Capitol employees.
As of June 30, Valencia said the Capitol has 541 casuals, 954 regular, 20 coterminous and 17 elected employees, including the governor, vice governor and the provincial board members. Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos
