AS OF May 31, Capitol had announced that the unliquidated cash advances by employees and officials at the Negros Occidental government had reached to the tune of P40,644,341.98.
This is according to provincial accountant, Carolina Isuga, who disclosed that the amount covers the previous and current cash advances of the employees and officials.
Why such huge amount of advances only those “actively” involved must be answerable for, considering that this pertains to public money, and that, a public office is a public trust, so much so that they must account for every centavo coming from the public coffers.
The provincial government, as well as the Commission on Audit, must likewise ensure that those who have advances must account of the amount, no matter what it takes, and if only to give a semblance of responsibility and accountability from the lower ranks up to the higher-positioned officials and employees of the province.
Capitol records had revealed that of the total amount, P33 million were special cash advances for payrolls and the rest were cash advances for travel, wherein those who got the money failed to liquidate the funds, 60 days after the commencement of the travel or activities held.
What now, after their failure?
Will the provincial government simply take this, hook, line, and sinker?
If this is the idea of the public officials and employees who made the cash advances, are they not answerable for their act?
Let the long hand of the law reach those accountable, if need be; public trust must not be compromised.