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Friday, July 07, 2006
Official admits lapse, clears Labella
Cebu City Accountant Edna Jaca confirmed that City Councilor Edgardo Labella submitted all documents and settled his cash advances before 2005 ended.
But they overlooked this because of the bulk of their work and the number of documents they had to compile, Jaca said.
Jaca told Sun.Star Cebu that although Labella promptly liquidated the P115,082 he incurred, he failed to include other documents like a narrative report of his travel to the US last year.
“But he was able to accomplish everything before the end of 2005,” she said.
Labella last Wednesday lashed at Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera over her committee report on the 2006 “trial balances, balance sheets, statements of income and expenses, statement of appropriations, allotments and obligations.”
Pesquera reported that Councilors Labella, Rodrigo Abellanosa and Gerardo Carillo failed to liquidate their cash advances.
Abellanosa, she said, still has to account for P114,602 while Carillo needs to explain P88,943.
Pesquera said she based the report on the trial balance of the accounting office as of Dec. 31.
Labella called the report “careless, surreptitious, and malicious” because he immediately liquidated his cash advances when he went to Seattle, Washington last year.
Abellanosa also cried foul, saying he was a member of the committee on budget and finance but did not know of the report until Pesquera submitted it in last Wednesday’s session.
Pesquera said three of the five-member committee signed the report. Copies were sent to her fellow councilors through their e-mail addresses.
But the legislative offices’ Internet connection has yet to be installed at the City Savings building where the councilors are temporarily holding office.
She also sent a text message to each of the councilors, informing them of the e-mail she sent. Labella said he did not receive a message.
The arguments ended only when Councilor Christopher Alix presented an amendment to the report following a recess where they met Vice Mayor Michael Rama in his office.
Alix proposed that Labella and Abellanosa’s name be deleted from the report. The body agreed.
Carillo, in a separate interview, said his name was supposed to be removed from the report because he also liquidated his cash advances.
It was just that his staff still had to get the documents from his office and when he went back to present them, the body already approved Alix’s motion.
Carillo admitted he submitted all documents only early this year, which is why his name was still included in Pesquera’s report. He said he lacked a travel narrative when he made the liquidation.
Jaca said Abellanosa was cleared of all requirements only recently. (RHM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 7, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
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