THE Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas instructed the Commission on Audit (COA) 7 to conduct a special audit on the severance pay the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) granted a former member.
Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Santiago confirmed yesterday the MCIAA accountant has not yet submitted documents the ombudsman’s office requested, in connection with the release of severance pay to former Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 director Patria Aurora Roa.
The documents were used as basis for the release of about P500,000 to Roa as severance pay. Roa had excused herself when the board deliberated on the matter, and recently said she is ready to return the amount if the airport board tells her to do so.
Apart from the MCIAA and COA, Santiago said her office also subpoenaed several concerned government agencies to help in the investigation.
Santiago said the MCIAA accountant was given 10 days to submit the documents to the anti-graft office.
She hinted her office might cite the basis government auditors used in disallowing severance pay to Carina Sepulveda Valera, a former Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) undersecretary and an ex-officio member of the MCIAA board.
Valera had reportedly received P100,000 from MCIAA when she retired, but COA disallowed this for lack of legal basis.
The MCIAA filed a case, now pending before the Supreme Court.
Several members of the MCIAA board have defended the granting of severance pay to Roa, saying it was based on the airport authority’s charter and the Corporate Code of the Philippines.
In a recent interview, Roa said while she respects the ombudsman’s investigation, she no longer has any involvement in the case since she retired from government service last year.
Last April 15, the 15-member MCIAA board approved a resolution granting Roa the retirement pay, in recognition of her “invaluable services and contribution” as a member of the board for 15 years.