11 towns have P16 million unliquidated advances

The Commission on Audit unearthed over P16 million in unliquidated cash releases and cash dvances from 11 municipal coffers.

Of the 11, the town of Naga had the biggest amount with P4,951,958.06 in cash advances while the town of Alcantara has the least with only P75,381.40.

The late Naga mayor Ferdinand Chiong has an unliquidated cash advance of P3 million from his intelligence fund granted to him on March 17, 2005 and February 16, 2006 at P1.5 million each.  The remaining amount also includes cash advances given to eight employees.

“It was found out that additional cash advances were granted even when the previous one was not yet settled,” the COA report read.  Most of the cash advances of the employees were for seminars, representations, cultural shows, consultative assembly and festivals.

The town with the next biggest unliquidated cash advances is Barili with P2,447,196.34.  The amount includes the cash advances of Mayor Jose Antonio Nemeño amounting to P791,090.

The town of Tuburan was third with P1,890,610.80 including the P200,000 of then mayor and now Vice Mayor Rosemarie Suizo.

The town of San Francisco is next with P1,710,871.03, followed by  San Fernando with P1,347,470, San Remigio with P1,340,963 covering the travel and other purposes.

Seventh is Ronda with P1,038,423.62 unliquidated cash advances including that of former mayor and now Vice Mayor Mariano Blanco and former vice mayor Victoria Blanco.  

Dumanjug follows with P936,982.42, Sta. Fe is next with P326,649.75 followed by Bantayan with P314,782.77.

The smallest unliquidated cash advance belonged to Alcantara town, P75,381.40.

COA said that the unliquidated cash advances would not have accumulated if management had strictly enforced and settled the liquidation immediately.

For the intelligence funds, COA said these should be granted only as the need arises.  —Garry B. Lao/BRP