P750-M unliquidated government funds accounted for

MANILA, Philippines - About P750 million of the P3.2 billion in unliquidated cash advances of 39 government agencies during the past few years have been accounted for through the monitoring of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Of the 39 government agencies, nine posted 100 percent liquidation, including the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Duty Free Philippines (DFP), and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

The National Power Corp. (Napocor); Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS); Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB); and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) have also cleared all their financial obligations.

As for those who have failed to heed the warning, the anti-graft agency’s Public Assistance and Corruption Prevention Office (PACPO) said it has recommended the initiation of fact-finding investigations against 22 personnel of the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for violation of Commission on Audit (COA) rules, neglect of duty, failure to render account, malversation and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The office announced yesterday that it is also preparing to file criminal and administrative complaints against three Department of Education (DepEd) personnel in addition to a malversation case which has already been filed against an erring employee of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for failing to liquidate P75,000.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez had earlier advised officials of concerned government agencies to withhold the salaries or any money due some of their accountable officers and employees following their failure to liquidate their cash advances.

The anti-graft agency is monitoring how each will be able to settle their unliquidated cash advances and will initiate proper action against those who will not.