COA lists P16M in unliquidated funds in Iloilo

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—The Iloilo City government has failed to liquidate more than P16 million in cash advances it made in the past five years, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).

An annual audit on the accounts and operations of the city government showed that city officials, including Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, and employees failed to settle P16.4 million in cash advances, some of them dating back to 2009.

This includes P2.8 million in unliquidated cash advances in 2011 and previous years, according to the report of the COA Western Visayas office that was transmitted to Mabilog on Sept. 15.

The city government liquidated P3.5 million in cash advances as of

Dec. 31, 2013.

Intelligence funds

Mabilog failed to liquidate P500,000 in cash advances for confidential and intelligence funds. City administrator Norlito Bautista also did not liquidate P800,000 for the same expenses, according to the report.

But Mabilog said the city officials had complied with the liquidation requirements.

He said reports on the liquidation of cash advances for confidential and intelligence funds were sent to the COA national office.

“We can prove to the regional office that we have complied with the requirements,” he told the Inquirer.

Cash advances made between 2012 and 2013 worth about P13.6 million were unliquidated as of Dec. 31, 2013, according to the report. Nestor P.

Burgos Jr., Inquirer Visayas