COA: P6.6 million shortage at Bureau of Customs

CEBU, Philippines – The non-compliance of the Bureau of Customs in the required monthly report of accountable forms allegedly resulted to over P6 million cash shortage in the agency.

The P6,648,306 cash shortage was uncovered by the Commission on Audit during its annual audit of the BOC's financial statements in 2009.

Cashier Sunshine Saliendra, who was assigned at the customs PEZA clearing office, incurred the cash shortage on May 22, 2006 up to April 26, 2007.

It was already late that the state auditors found out the cash shortage because of the non-compliance of the monthly report of accountable forms. 

COA has advised customs officials in Cebu to ensure that the required monthly submission of accountability report on accountable forms is strictly complied with to prevent malversation of government funds.

In its 2009 annual audit report for the BOC in Cebu, state auditors said the cash shortage of Saliendra was not immediately discovered because the agency did not comply with what was required of them.

Shirley Abarintos, acting head of the Customs PEZA Clearing Office, said Saliendra was already transferred to the customs office in the port of Mactan after her huge cash shortage was discovered.

The FREEMAN received information that she already left the government service but it was not confirmed as of press time. COA blamed the customs officials in Cebu for their failure to ensure that the required procedures of submitting the monthly report of accountability for accountable forms, such as official receipts, resulted to the cash short-age.

The Manual of the New Government Accounting System provides that accountable officers, such as the cashiers, shall submit monthly report to the COA of the movement and status of accountable forms in her or his possession.

The state auditors said because the cashier did not submit the required reports, COA cannot monitor or review the report of accountability for accountable forms for purposes of preventing possible loss of accountable forms. (FREEMAN)