Is Barangay Patag Cagayan de Oro’s new cultural oasis?

One would think so given the village’s propensity to spend taxpayer’s money on cultural activities held as frequent as four times a month.

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The “extravagant” cultural festivities were some of the anomalies found by state auditors in several reports detailing audit findings for the year 2006, during which Councilor Maricor Calizo was still chairman of Barangay Patag.

Prizes galore

In a separate memoranda issued on April 18 last year, the Commission on Audit (COA) demanded that Calizo and a former barangay treasurer explain spending that was found to be “unnecessary, unreasonable, excessive,” and “irregular.”

A number of purchases also appeared to be overpriced.

A COA audit report obtained by this paper showed that Calizo’s administration spent P659,980 on prizes for dance and singing contests, games and other competitions held from January to December, 2006.

Hardly a month passed by during that year without such “cultural activities,” and at least four of these events were held in March alone, records show.

While COA described the activities as “irregular, unnecessary and extravagant,” it said these undertakings may not have actually been conducted in the absence of pertinent documents proving their authenticity.

"Ghost" indigents?

The COA also disallowed the cash dole-outs of P1,517 each for 110 residents certified by the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) office as indigents.

On top of the questionable authenticity of the “claimants’ wealth” because not a single Community Tax Certificate was supplied, state auditors said the CSWD certification did not “automatically mean that the barangay government is mandated” to give cash to the beneficiaries.

Records say the cash distribution was approved by City Accounting head Wilma Polley-Rugay.

"Ghost" road programs?

The COA also questioned the P140,000 paid to workers for the barangays’ road maintenance programs supposedly implemented in July, August, October, and November of 2006.

Supporting documents submitted to the audit body enumerated several “gravelling” works on various zones in the barangay, indicating that materials used were donated by the City Government.

But verification conducted by the COA revealed no such materials were donated, thereby casting doubt on the existence of the road programs claimed.

Investigation by state auditors disclosed that “for the months of June, July, October, and November 2006, delivery of filling materials, sand and gravel, limestone, excavated materials and boulders were not made at the vicinity of Barangay Patag.”

Because “no material component” was found relative to the “labor component claimed,” the COA declared the transactions to be “irregular and invalid.”

Moreover, state auditors also demanded that Calizo and four other former barangay officials account for the over four million pesos withdrawn from the barangay’s bank accounts on separate occasions in 2007.

Other COA findings:

* Excess of expenses against appropriation by P49,000 on various programs implemented in 2006

* Overpricing by P78,961 on the repair of five air-conditioners and two service vehicles

* Un-liquidated cash advances of P119,376 for a tour in Cavite in May, 2006

* Overpricing by P69,998 of uniforms distributed to barangay personnel

* Double procurement of office supplies costing P25,000, described by COA as “extravagant and excessive.”

Calizo, who belongs to the ruling PaDayon Pilipino party, described the allegations against her as “unsubstantiated” and “ridiculous.”

She linked the COA reports to her successor, barangay chairman Benedicto Fabricante, who was placed under 90-day preventive suspension by City Hall Monday.

Fabricante’s camp, she said, was spreading lies to cover up the barangay official’s suspension.

“They (Fabricante’s camp) should not fabricate lies. Why are they dragging me into this when I took no part in whatever anomalies they may have committed?” said the lady councilor in the dialect.

While she declined to answer the COA findings point by point, Calizo pointed out she could not have sought higher office in 2007 if she was not cleared by the COA itself. This claim cannot be immediately be verified.

The COA reports on Calizo’s term as barangay chairman surfaced after Fabricante’s lawyers accused City Hall of politicking.

Lawyer Mar Carrasco said the charges against their client, who is identified with the opposition, are nothing but “mere political harassment.”

“If this is not political harassment, then they should have suspended Councilor Calizo based on the COA findings also,” Carrasco said, noting that one of the grounds cited by Mayor Constantino Jaraula in his suspension order was a narration from a COA official purportedly showing that Fabricante is engaged in anomalies.

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on September 30, 2009.