PB member Meca belies unsettled cash advances

CEBU, Philippines - Provincial Board Member Carmen Remedios Durano-Meca cried foul over reports she has unliquidated cash advances and called her uncle, Danao City Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr., a liar.

Durano reportedly created another City Tourism Council and replaced Meca as chairwoman because he does not trust her for her failure to liquidate funds for tourism activities in the past years.

Meca, the president of the Philippine Councilors League in Cebu Province, is the daughter of Durano’s estranged brother, Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III.

“Unfortunately, sad to note that I have an uncle who is such a liar,” Meca said.

In a press conference yesterday with councilor John Cane at the Capitol Meca stressed that she is not being disrespectful to her “Papa Boy” but said records show that he is telling a lie.

While she did not question the trust of her uncle, Meca said it is so frustrating that she was alleged to have unliquidated cash advances when she cannot avail of any case advance given her position.

“On my part personally, as Carmen Remedios Durano-Meca, di gyud na mahitabo nga ako mismo maka-cash advance,” she said.

The issue stemmed from Mayor Durano’s realigning of P15 million of the P30-million trust fund from the Cebu Provincial Government for different projects without the city council’s approval.

The P30 million was donated by the Province of Cebu for the rehabilitation of the city’s water distribution pipe in Barangay Poblacion that was not implemented during the time of Nito as mayor in 2009.

The realignment was also approved by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia in the undated project justification.

Among the new projects funded by the realigned appropriations are the P900,000 for the participation of the recently concluded Pasigarbo sa Sugbo and the upcoming Karansa Festival in the amount of P100,000.

Under the Danao City Tourism Code, the chairperson of the tourism activities like Pasigarbo sa Sugbo is also the head of the tourism council which in this case is Meca.

Mayor Durano issued Executive Order on July 5, 2012 appointing a new set of officers of the Danao City Tourism Council chaired by Engr. Emilia Oliverio as the mayor’s representative.

Meca also showed reporters a copy of a city accountant report covering the period from Jan. 1, 2007 to Jun. 30, 2012.

“This is to certify that per record of this office the Karansa Foundation has no outstanding unliquidated cash advances as of Aug. 31, 2012,” read the certification issued by city accountant Jovinal Dagatan dated Sept. 4, 2012.

Karansa Foundation receives subsidies from the city government for the annual Karansa Festival.

Meca said that she is not part of the Karansa Foundation. — (FREEMAN)