Non-payment costs Compostela ambulance

CEBU, Philippines - The ambulance given to the municipality of Compostela by a partylist group was taken away by the car supplier for non-payment of the unit for almost a year now.

KIA Motors in Mandaue City took back the Panoramic van used as ambulance from the municipality three days ago.

But mayor-elect Joel Quiño said the ambulance was taken last Friday for failure of the then administration of Mayor Ritchie Wagas to pay for it.

TUCP Partylist Raymond Democrito Mendoza appropriated P1 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund last year for the purchase of the ambulance for Compostela.

Quiño said that the fund was released by the Department of Budget and Management to the Municipality of Compostela for the ambulance’s payment.

The ambulance was released by KIA Motors in April 2010 before the May 10, 2010 elections.

But a staff of KIA Motors told The FREEMAN they have sent demand letters to the municipality at least three times already but got no response.

Municipal treasurer Lorenzo Almodiel said they checked in the unit for regular tune-up but it was held by KIA Motors.

Almodiel explained the fund is intact and is deposited in the bank, there is just delay in the processing of papers.

He pointed out the recent circular of the Commission on Audit which requires the pre-auditing before the agency could pay the unit purchased.

Almodiel said the controversy, which until now no elected mayor has assumed office, further caused the delay in the processing of papers despite having a caretaker.

He assured KIA Motors that they will pay the ambulance as soon as they have complied with all the requirements set by COA.

Although the unit cost is over a million pesos, the amount payable is less than a million pesos minus the government taxes.

Almodiel added that for the meantime, the mini-ambulance given by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is the one serving patients in the municipality. —(FREEMAN)