Town treasury officials face charges for P6M shortage

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines  — The treasurer and assistant treasurer of Murcia town in Negros Occidental might be facing criminal and administrative charges after the Commission on Audit (COA) found them liable of at least P6 million shortage in their cash accounts.

Murcia municipal treasurer Inocentes Conte and assistant treasurer Saturnina de Isidro were allegedly found short in the aggregate amount of P6,199,471 resulting to understatement of cash accounts covering a period from January 21, 2009 to August 16, 2010.

The data was based on a COA Audit Observation Memorandum conducted on August 16, 2010 by state auditors Delilah Dionela, Natividad Asentista and Aida Legislador.

Mayor Andrew Montelibano, citing COA reports, said that of this aggregate amount, P3.7 million was allegedly a deficiency of Conte, while P2.4 million was a shortage of de Isidro.

COA's report stated the shortage of P6 million occurred due to the alleged failure of the municipal treasurer to deposit the collections and this resulted in understatement of cash accounts.

COA recommended to Montelibano to require Conte and de Isidro to restitute the amount of P6 million within 72 hours from receipt of the demand letter.

COA also recommended that both officials be relieved of their duties to safeguard government funds, adding that appropriate charges shall be filed against the officials if warranted.

In a press conference last weekend, Montelibano said he will write Melba Sullivan, acting regional director of the Department of Finance's Bureau of Local Government Finance in Iloilo, to inform her of the COA report.

Montelibano said he will ask Sullivan to immediately implement the COA recommendation and to relieve Conte and de Isidro from their posts. He will also request Sullivan to immediately start the administrative proceedings against the two to effect their dismissal from government service.

The mayor said he has also requested for the immediate assignment of their respective replacements.

Montelibano said the discrepancy in remittance has started way back in 2005 until 2009 under former Mayor Esteban Coscolluela's term. He only assumed office last year.

Montelibano clarified that he did not initiate the COA audit report as it is being done annually. He added that appropriate charges will be filed against the two officials, but stressed that other person or persons of higher authority could be behind these discrepancies.

The two financial officials however have yet to issue statements to present their side on the controversy.