Rama: COA should collect unliquidated advances

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama won’t lift a finger to collect the unliquidated cash advances of City Hall employees from several years back.

“Why should the mayor become a collector for the government when I have other responsibilities to work in my term? These cash advances happened before. If there were unliquidated cash advances during my term, I will handle it,” he said.

Rama said it should be the Commission on Audit (COA) that should collect payment or initiate the filing of malversation charges against those with unsettled cash advances.

In her midyear audit report, City Auditor Delia Monte de Ramos reminded Rama to collect P101 million unliquidated cash advances.

She asked Rama to initiate the filing of malversation charges to compel errant employees.

Monte de Ramos said in her August 30 interim report that City Hall also has to make a formal reply to the 39 audit observations which COA cited in the 2012 report.

“Management has not replied to the request of the COA Regional Director, Regional Office No. VII on the action taken on the recommendations contained in the Annual Audit Report (AAR) for calendar year 2012,” de Ramos said.

Rama and City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete said they have yet to receive a copy of COA’s interim report.

Poblete said the P101 million unliquidated advances include the P36 million that former pay master Rosalina Badana ran away with between 1995 to 1998.

Rama said he will only be responsible for the collection of advances made during his tenure starting in 2010. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac