MikeLigalig.com

By the Bohol Chronicle

A P7.9 million expenditure of the city government was discovered without the necessary supporting vouchers, according to State Auditor Charlita R. Leopoldo.

The Commission on Audit (COA) discovered 22 missing vouchers which should have been included in the supporting documents of the 2008 COA Report.

Leopoldo reported that the 22 missing vouchers involved the total amount of P7,946,459.74. She stated that because of the missing vouchers and other questionable entries, it has rendered the "validity of transactions and correctness of accounts doubtful."

The missing vouchers were confirmed also by Kurt Bungabong of the office of the city accountant.

In a letter signed by Rheazol Jimenez of the Office of the City Accountant, it was found out that the biggest amount without a supporting voucher was in the name of E. Butalid Store amounting to P2,846,843.70.

In the documented report, Executive Assistant Mark Monton, a known ally of the city mayor who is the acting chief of the General Services Office (GSO) has three missing vouchers under his name which totaled to P384,057.00.

The report on the missing vouchers surfaced even as the COA has ordered the city government to liquidate P20 million (P20,053,211.66) in cash advances for 2008. This still excludes the balance of P661,000.00 for the 2007 accounts.

Of the P20 million, P3.1 million was listed under the so-called "time bound cash advances." Another P1.5 million was listed as cash advances for travel which according to COA rules should be liquidated 30 days (local trips) and within 60 days (foreign trips).

The biggest portion of the unliquidated cash advances was recorded in the "intelligence/ confidential expenses" of the city mayor amounting to P7.1 million

OTHER MISSING VOUCHERS

Other listed huge expenditures with no supporting vouchers identified the payees and corresponding amount to: a certain E. b***t (with no full name) P2,247,503.00; Three M. Industrial Sales, P1,859,904.39; E Butalid Store, P225,000.00; Wyne Construction, P191,015.63; Loboc Youth Educational Association, P100,000.00

DIVERTIONARY TACTIC AGAIN - KAG. RAMA

The latest attempt to divert public attention was the argument which ensued regarding the unsigned committee report dealing with the controversial unliquidated cash advances which leaked to the media.

Kagawad Zenaido Rama said that while it is legally right to question the issue of an unsigned committee report, it diverts the issue of the P20-million unliquidated cash advances for 2008 and another P661,000 for the 2007 Audit Report.

Councilors belonging to the majority bloc are questioning the propriety of revealing the contents of the alleged committee report prepared by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) committee on public accountability to the media when it has not been deliberated upon by members of the said committee.

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