Return Jinggoy’s pork, COA orders agri exec

The Commission on Audit (COA) has affirmed a 2015 decision by its regional office ordering the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Western Visayas chief accountant to return to the government treasury the P14.77 million in pork barrel funds of former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada because of liquidation deficiencies.

In a recently released decision, the COA denied the appeal of Mae Nones, the former officer in charge of the DA Regional Field Unit No. VI accounting section, for being filed 14 days past the six-month period.

This made final and executory the COA regional office’s June 2015 decision upholding the Oct. 6, 2011, notice of disallowance issued by auditors on Estrada’s pork barrel funds released to the Jacinto Castel Borja Foundation Inc. for the Diversified Farm Assistance for Negros Occidental Agri-Products program.

The COA rejected Nones’ argument that she should not be held liable for the improper liquidation of the funds because recording it in the books of accounts was just a ministerial and regular function on her part.

Citing section 5.4 of COA Circular No. 2007-001 dated October 25, 2007, the COA said Nones should have verified all the submitted documents before recording the liquidation in the books of accounts.