Budget officer dares union to sue him for payroll mess

Talisay City Budget Officer Edgardo Mabunay yesterday challenged the employees' union to file a case against him before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas if they are still unsatisfied with his explanation regarding the "excessive" overtime pay of one of his staff.

"I'm willing to face it," Mabunay told the city council about the complaint of the Talisay City Employees' Union against his staff Nona Narca.

Because of the union's complaint against Narca, Mabunay along with other department heads like city treasurer Emma Macuto and city accountant Viluzminda Villarante were summoned by the council to explain the issue.

Mabunay clarified that the rendering of overtime services is not routine and he only allows his staff to do it during the months when the deadline for the submission of annual budget is nearing.

He said that although the process is already computerized every year the job gets more complicated as the Department of Budget and Management revises codes for certain items.

Narca admitted having received P31,000 as OT pay for overtime work from July to October 2004, but said the amount was not solely for herself as there was another staff whom she shared it with.

Villarante also defended this practice saying that if the Budget Office had not rendered extra working hours then the annual budget would not have been completed in time for deliberation in the council.

In her investigation, Villarante said that the 2004 Annual Budget was supposed to be submitted on October, but it was only forwarded to the council on November 11 due to some corrections.

"If wala nag-overtime kanus-a pa kaha ma-review sa council ang budget," she said.

And it was on November 20 when a revised annual budget was submitted to the Provincial Board for another scrutiny.

Union president Joel Balorio also questioned why the Daily Time Records of Narca and another personnel submitted to the Accounting Office were handwritten when city hall was already using the computerized DTR as early as September 2004.

To this, Villarante explained that for payroll purposes, the DTR is handwritten but must bear the signature of the department head who has the responsibility to see if the manual recording matches the computerized one.

Villarante explained that there were no irregularities in their approving the OT services of Narca and her fellow Budget Office personnel, which reached 493 hours, as it was based on records submitted to them.

Mabunay said he has all the documents to negate all the allegations against his office and personnel.

Because the issue has remained unsettled, Vice Mayor Aberdovey Belleza referred the matter to councilor Sergio Restauro, chairman on Public Ethics and Accountability, after Balorio raised more questions regarding the matter.

Bucao also said that there should be a fact-finding team to investigate a PB committee report that never reached the council after three years.

To this, Villarante again in her investigation, said Narca who allegedly received the said document, claimed she did not personally get it but it was given to her by someone from the PB office when it was known she was from Talisay.

Narca went on to say she left that document to council secretary Emigdio Enjambre, but Enjambre denied having received the said document. - Liv G. Campo