By the Bohol Chronicle
Governor Erico Aumentado has ordered for the reshuffling of personnel of the Bohol Poverty Reduction Management Office (BPRMO) after a special probe team investigating into the mishandling of funds intended for cooperatives has submitted its findings.
The governor likewise directed for the immediate liquidation of unaccounted funds and the audit of financial transactions of the BPRMO.
Based on the findings of the special probe team headed by provincial legal officer Atty. Handel Lagunay, funds for cooperatives amounting P200,000 were “diverted and not applied for the purpose of its releaseâ€.
Moreover, disbursements amounting to P600,000 taken from the P2 million financial assistance for cooperatives were also found unauthorized.
Following the findings, Aumentado issued a memorandum directing the provincial government’s Internal Audit Service (IAS) to conduct a performance audit of said funds.
He also directed IAS head Jerome Maniwang to “cause the liquidation of all funds received by cooperatives from the BPRMO.â€
Another memorandum was issued by Aumentado which designated Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Atty. John Titus Vistal as interim head of BPRMO as Antonieto Pernia assumed as new chief of staff of the governor.
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The probe committee findings noted a conflict of interest as some employees of BPRMO were also officers of the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives for Eastern Bohol.
“The area of coverage of BPRMO is over-expanded but its budget is not sufficient,†the findings said.
It was found by the probe team that the amount of P200,000 was released and spent for office supplies and P140,000 of which was borrowed by Primo Digao, former deputy head of BPRMO, for his personal use.
The said amount was supposed to be utilized as BPRMO’s counterpart for a skills training project of the Federation that was supposed to start on December 2006.
The probe team uncovered that the Federation money is controlled by BPRMO as shown by how P21,000 was used for the community organizers and another P14,000 was used to buy a cellular phone of the said office.
“Federation funds were diverted and not applied for the purpose they were released.â€
Likewise, it was noted by the investigating committee that there was no proper recording and observance of disbursement procedure.
“There is no showing BPRMO asked permission from the Federation when it used Federation money,†the findings stated.
The probe team also said that the use of P140,000 for private purposes is irregular.
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=15227.0