Malonzo warns vs unaccounted advances

Caloocan City Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo warned yesterday incumbent and former local officials with unliquidated cash advances that they will face charges unless they settle their obligations soon.

"The city government will be constrained to file charges against them unless they do something about their unsettled cash advances," Malonzo said.

He said that the city’s legal department is set to file criminal and administrative charges against those with unliquidated cash advances by the first week of December.

Malonzo added he will "spare no one," including officials closely identified with him.

Based on the Commission on Audit report, Malonzo said the local government is yet to settle some P106 million in unliquidated cash advances incurred by present and past officials, some of whom are already dead.

Malonzo said that among the former local officials who have yet to account for their cash advances are former Mayor Macario Asistio Jr., his political nemesis, former civil relations office chief Estelita Gonzales, former Mayor Antonio Martinez, and the late mayors Marcial Samson, Virgilio Robles, and Crispulo San Gabriel.

Among the incumbent officials with outstanding cash advances are Vice Mayor Oscar Malapitan, city administrator Mamerto Manahan and Councilor Edgar Erice, Malonzo said.

Malonzo, however, pointed out that the city government will no longer hold accountable the deceased public officials.

"But those who are still alive, we’ll ask the court to authorize the city government to seize whatever property they have in exchange for their debt," Malonzo said. –Pete Laude