By Ven ArigoThere are “missing†checks issued for official capitol travels that turned out cancelled.
These checks for official trips that did not push through or were terminated have not been returned or reimbursed by the employees for whose travels they were issued.
To avoid public fund misuse or wastage, Gov. Erico Aumentado ordered in a memorandum all provincial government department heads to monitor the cash advances, particularly those intended for travels, of their respective employees.
The memorandum reveals that the Provincial Accountant’s Office (PACCO) has “admitted no way of knowing†the instances of unreturned or unreimbursed checks for cancelled or terminated official trips.
Aumentado told the department heads to direct the concerned employees to immediately return/reimburse their cash advances.
Signed by Provincial Administrator Tomas Abapo, Jr. by authority of the governor, the memorandum also calls the attention of devolved hospital chiefs and heads of the satellite offices of the governor’s office.
Aumentado cited Commission on Audit (COA) Circular No. 96-004 which states, “Where a trip is cancelled, the amount paid in advance shall be refunded in full. In cases where the trip is cut short or terminated in advance of the itinerary, the excess payment shall likewise be refunded. These refunds shall be made immediately upon cancellation or termination of the trip. It shall be the primary duty of the agency heads to enforce promptly the refund.â€
The department heads ought to coordinate with PACCO in securing the refund of cash advances.
In case of failure to refund, apt penalties will be imposed to include the withholding of salaries, subject, however, to due process.
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