Duljo captain wants honoraria restored

CEBU, Philippines - Duljo-Fatima barangay captain Elmer Abella is asking the Cebu City Hall to lift the withholding of their honoraria after they have failed to submit the vouchers and financial reports supporting their transactions from 2007 to 2009.

Abella, in his letter addressed to City Accountant Arlene Rentuza, explained they have difficulty in tracing the 2007 New Government Accounting System (NGAS) reports and financial records since the former barangay officials failed to turn them over to them when they assumed office after the 2007 barangay election.

Because of this, Abella told Rentuza they have initiated a formal complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas against former barangay captain Miguel Cabatino and barangay treasurer Teogeniza Imbong, who were the ones responsible for the 2007 NGAS reports and financial records.

Abella, in an interview with the reporters, said their complaint filed at the Ombudsman was supported by the entire barangay council.

“The monthly honoraria for the incumbent barangay officials are withheld by the City Accountant...It is for this reason that we are filing a case against former barangay captain Miguel Cabatino and barangay treasurer Teogeniza Imbong,” Abella said in his letter. He added what the former barangay officials did resulted to the suspension of their monthly honoraria since September.

Abella said that as early as January 2008, they tried to produce the attachments to the reports but these could not be found.

Barangay treasurer Nicolas Teofilo said they were able to accomplish the December 2007 reports because they assumed office that month. Teofilo said he tried to comply with reports for the January to November 2007 transactions but the missing documents could not be traced.

“We are informing COA and city accounting department that we cannot submit the January to November 2007 report, which were not accomplished by the previous administration,” Teofilo said.

He added that their 2008 and 2009 reports were already submitted to the City Accounting Office.

The Commission on Audit has earlier asked the City Accounting Office to withhold the honoraria of Duljo-Fatima barangay officials, particularly that of the barangay captain and treasurer, if they cannot submit and produce the documents from 2007, 2008 and 2009 financial reports.

The documents include vouchers and official receipts. (FREEMAN)