Former Talisay mayor still owes govt P600T?

Did she leave without settling her accounts?

Former Talisay City mayor Dehlia Tiu still owes the government more than P600,000 in cash advances during her term, according to city accountant Viluzminda Villarante.

Villarante said that from 1994 to 1997, Tiu spent about P635,860 which was taken from the intelligence fund of the then municipality of Talisay. The former mayor was the officer-in-charge of Talisay from 1986 to 1987 before she was elected mayor from 1988 to 1998.

Villarante added that Tiu did not answer the demand letters sent to her by the city government to settle her cash advances.

But Tiu argued that she already settled her accounts directly to the Comission on Audit. "Kanang butanga ako naman nang gi-settle sa una pa (I already settled that thing). I can show you a copy that I have liquidate my cash advances to the COA," Tiu told The FREEMAN by phone.

But Villarante said her office did not receive any credit advance from COA proving that Tiu has already liquidated her cash advances. "Basta wa me makadawat og credit advance so siya supposedly ang mo-follow up kay naa pa ma'y record sa city hall," Villarante said.

Government accounting and auditing procedures require that the salary of employees who fail to account for their cash advances within a prescribed period be withheld otherwise they would face administrative sanctions. - Garry B. Lao