Sunday, August 12, 2007 Lani stands up for Soc, calls on COA to widen probe on P70M
TALISAY City Mayor Socrates Fernandez cannot be faulted, on his own, for the P70 million in transactions that auditors have questioned, as the documents passed through the department heads, said Vice Mayor Lani Abarquez yesterday.
Before the documents were forwarded to the mayor’s office, these were checked and signed by the approving department chiefs, she pointed out.
Abarquez suggested that the Commission on Audit (COA) 7 conduct a thorough investigation that will include the department heads responsible for approving the transactions.
In its 2006 observation report, state auditors found that four major projects in Talisay City had allegedly overpriced purchases and irregular disbursements.
These were the installation of P13.6 million in computer programs at City Hall, with no contracts or a performance bond; the P5.8-million overpayment of the slaughterhouse project in Barangay Mohon; the P3-million irregular disbursements for beautification and landscaping projects in parks and plazas; and another P3 million worth of overpriced liquid fertilizers.
Tip
Fernandez has said he only inherited these projects from his predecessor, former Talisay City mayor and now Rep. Eduardo Gullas (Cebu, 1st district).
But former city attorney Paterno Belciña Jr., in a press statement, said that Gullas “could not have been remotely involved” in the purchase of liquid fertilizers or the City’s computerization program.
“These (irregularities) could be just a tip of the iceberg. That’s why I’m asking the COA to investigate further,” Abarquez said.
The vice mayor said she recently observed the attempt to overprice the purchase of equipment at City Hall. She cited her request to buy a new air-conditioning unit to replace the old one in her office.
Abarquez said she was surprised when a two-horsepower air-conditioner cost P37,000, when in the stores it costs only P25,000, maximum.
Although she already signed the purchase request, Abarquez decided to put on hold the delivery of the unit until she cleared the matter up.
Review
The COA 7 has issued two notices of disallowance ordering City Hall officials to refund P8.2 million in connection with the purchase of liquid fertilizers and the slaughterhouse project.
“Failure to appeal the disallowance within six months shall become final and executory,” the COA warned.
The mayor has tapped his staff to look into some of the controversies raised in the COA report.
Fernandez directed legal officer Owen Alguso to speed up the land titling of P17.2 million worth of City Government lots.
COA noted that the titles of 11 parcels of land paid for by Talisay City Hall still have to be transferred in its name.
“I have tasked my legal officer, helped by the assessor, to facilitate or speed up the titling of these lots,” Fernandez told Sun.Star Cebu over the weekend.
He explained that City Hall has completed documentation of the titling, such as proof of ownership and the absolute deed of sale.
Fernandez also said that his staff has collated documents to answer COA’s findings on the “irregular” transactions that cost the City Government P70 million.
The mayor, though, said he would rather give the answers to COA than the media. (GC/JGA)
