NEGROS Occidental Provincial Agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan has already settled the disallowed amount of P299,000 spent for the fertilizer project his office implemented in 2013.
However, the Commission on Audit (COA) issued another notice of disallowance to Tabianan involving another project worth P239,805. The notice which was received by the provincial government Wednesday.
Provincial Accountant Merle Fortu confirmed Thursday, November 24, that Tabianan paid back the P299,000 amount this Monday, showing the receipt of the transaction to Capitol reporters.
The issue stemmed from the purchase of fertilizers worth P299,000 for the farmers in Cauayan town on January 10, 2013.
Tabianan was ordered by COA to return the amount after he failed to comply with the required documents, including the list of beneficiaries, purchase order, and Bids and Awards Committee resolution.
Fortu said the amount paid by Tabianan was recognized by their office as account receivable.
She also said that the collection receipt will be sent to COA, adding that Tabianan will be cleared from the disallowance notice of the fertilizer project.
COA, in the other disallowance notice signed by audit team leader Jose Jamili and supervising auditor Arnel Jaranilla on July 27, 2016, said that the P239,805.80 was disallowed in the audit because Tabianan failed to submit the list of recipients within 90 days after he received the notice of suspension it issued on May 26, 2015.
The amount was used for the purchase of various vegetable seeds under the Rice and High Value Commercial Crops Production Program of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, from Kara’s Angel Trading on February 12, 2014.
COA directed Tabianan to settle the disallowance, adding that audit disallowance not appealed within six months from receipt shall become final and executory.
Fortu said that Tabianan has enough time to come up with the list of the recipients asked by COA.
Meanwhile, Fortu said that transactions become suspended when COA needs explanation, justification, or supporting documents of the transaction.
She added that “financial transaction in the government should be valid and regular. When we say valid, it is within the ambit of public purpose and expenditure.”