COA to Malabon exec: Return P.3 M to city coffers

The Commission on Audit, for the third time, directed Malabon City Vice Mayor Arnold Vicencio to “refund” more than P300,000 unauthorized expenditures he incurred in 2005 to pay the consultants he hired.

The COA, in a Feb. 15 decision signed by acting chairman Reynaldo Villar, commissioner Juanito Espino Jr. and assistant commissioner Elizabeth Zosa, reaffirmed its previous rulings directing Vicencio to “effect the refund of the consultancy fees paid” amounting to P384,980.

Vicencio’s office, through his secretary Marlon Feliciano, said yesterday that they were already aware of the COA’s latest decision but said it could still be appealed for the order is not yet final.

“We respect the COA’s decision but we will saturate all possible legal means for the reversal of the resolution for the vice mayor conducted the deal being questioned in good faith,” Feliciano said.

He also said the payments were made for the services rendered and were all properly documented.

“It’s not an issue of anomaly, only the manner of procedure,” he said.

Feliciano also said that Vicencio would soon come out with his official statement on the issue.  The vice mayor, he said, was in Cebu attending a seminar.

In 2005, Vicencio hired Marvin Amiana as his management consultant, Rodolfo de los Santos as legal consultant, and Jennifer Catindig as education affairs consultant.

But on May 12, 2006, the COA sent a notice of disallowance to the city government, questioning the legality of Vicencio’s hiring of the consultants and the payment for their consultancy services.

Vicencio appealed the COA’s resolution but the agency denied his appeal “for lack of merit.”

The COA said Vicencio had no authority to hire the consultants without permission from the city council.

“Since the appellant (Vicencio) had no authority to hire the said consultants, the consultancy contracts should be treated as private ones. He must therefore effect the refund of the consultancy fees paid,” the COA stated.

Former councilor Pablo Cabrera Sr., who requested the COA to investigate the matter, said “it’s high time the money must be returned for the benefit of the city residents.”