COA asked to check terminal fee collection

CEBU, Philippines - Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez wants the Commission on Audit to check the collection of the terminal fee at the Cebu South Bus Terminal saying that personnel who are collecting fees are inorganic members of the government.

According to Sanchez, Capitol’s Committee on Discipline and Investigation should investigate the Mandaue Integrated Manpower Services which collects the P5 fee in the terminal, which is against COA’s auditing procedures unless MIMS pays for a bond to collect for the terminal.

“Did they check with the COA? I appeal to COA why it is allowed basin ang COA nisugot na lang since the province lacks personnel,” he told reporters.

But Capitol spokesman Rory Jon Sepulveda said there is an accountable person from the province designated in the CSBT in the person of accounting officer Carmen Quijano.

He added that the P5 terminal fee does not touch the hands of MIMS personnel but goes directly into a slot in the turnstile.

“Kanang P5 ihulog na sa turnstile ang gunitan sa MIMS ang receipt lang nga ihatag nagdto sa moagi to account the money and the ticket, even ang mo-uli sa South can attest to that,” he said.

MIMS is a manpower services outsourcing agency owned by businessman Glenn Soco who ran for vice governor but lost to Sanchez in the last May elections.

Sanchez challenged the executive department to give him the authority to investigate the said irregularity.

“Unta tagaan ko nila ug authority, ako mismo maoy mo-investigate. I asked for the contract copy between the MIMS and the Province of Cebu wa sila’y gihatag. Sa ilang investigation sa vehicle, I am waiting for the summon, asa naman na?” he said. (THE FREEMAN)