It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/18/leyte-misused-p1-28-m-disaster-funds-for-unrelated-activities-coa |
The provincial government of Leyte "misused" P1.287 million of its Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) for catering services and other unrelated activities in 2023, the Commission on Audit (COA) said.
In its 2023 annual audit report, COA said disbursements totalling P1,287,596 "were deemed to be not within the context of the four thematic areas on disaster risk reduction and management activities."
It said that the four areas for disaster risk reduction and management are disaster prevention and mitigation, disaster preparedness, disaster response, and disaster rehabilitation and recovery.
It noted that the province appropriated P179,679,293.81 or five percent of its estimated revenue from regular sources for its LDRRMF. This is an addition to the P178,459,178.28 in the Special Trust Fund (STF) which was aggregated from previous years, making the total LDRRMF P358,138,472.09.
However, COA said its audit team discovered that disbursements totalling P1,287,596 were charged to the LDRRMF even if these were not deemed to be within the four thematic areas of disaster risk reduction and management.
It said the province spent P380,428 and P383,918 on the purchase of various supplies and materials for the Protective Shelter for High-Value Vegetable Techno Demo. However, it also said that various construction supplies and materials distributed to beneficiaries or locations were not identified.
Leyte also spent P55,500 payment for catering services and lunch including venue rental, sound system, and resort facilities in Cariaga, Leyte during the conduct of the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) Organic Farming Orientation Seminar, it said.
A total of P31,500 was used as payment for catering services for regular area coordinators' quarterly meeting at Villava, Leyte and another P30,000 for catering services during the culmination activity for on-the-job training (OJT) interns from the Visayas State University Alang-alang Campus, it also said.
Also, it said, P406,250 was used as payment for various fertilizers and seeds for Season Long Training of High-Value Crops province-wide.
Two of the expenditures were implemented by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) -- the purchase of supplies for Protective Shelter for High-Value Techno Demo. These supplies included galvanized iron pipes, hardiflex board, concrete wall nails, and clamps, it said.
But since the location and beneficiaries of the items distributed were not identified, COA said it was unclear whether the main purpose of the rehabilitation and recovery activity for disaster-affected communities was indeed complied with.
The same can be said for the purchase of fertilizers and seeds. Since the farmers' associations that received the items were not clearly identified, it cannot be determined if they came from locations that suffered losses in livelihood because of a natural calamity or disaster, it said.
As for the catering expenses, COA said there was no clear indication whether the activities undertaken were related to the thematic areas which will justify charges against the LDRRMF. It also said that these expenses should have been chalked up to ordinary operational expenses chargeable against the regular budget of the OPA.
"The utilization of the LDRRMF for expenditures that are outside the four thematic areas of disaster risk reduction and management defeated the purpose for the creation and appropriation of the fund," COA stressed.
"Thus, the purpose for which the component of the fund was intended for -- to implement programs, projects, and activities related to disaster risk reduction and management -- was not complied with," it pointed out.
The provincial government of Leyte "misused" P1.287 million of its Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) for catering services and other unrelated activities in 2023, the Commission on Audit (COA) said.
Again, the provincial government of Eastern Samar has been flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) in its 2023 annual audit report.
Earlier, COA found that Contract of Service (COS) and Job Order (JO) personnel hired by Eastern Samar province were not only paid below the daily minimum wage, but worse, their salaries had always been delayed in 2023.
This time, COA said it found that three provincial projects funded at P5.85 million had been reported as "100 percent completed" in 2023 even if two of the projects were still ongoing and the other has not been started at the time the audit was conducted.
COA said the first project, which is the construction of a Multi-Purpose Building Covered Court Phase 1 funded at P2,367,772.85, was declared as "100 percent completed." However, it said that when state auditors inspected the court on Jan. 25, 2024, they discovered that the project is actually still ongoing.
It said there were uninstalled project billboards and signboards, and actual concreting work was still ongoing. Upon inquiry with the foreman and barangay (village) official, the COA discovered that construction actually had just started.
The second project, it said, involved road concreting at Barangay Baras in Guiuan town. While it was also declared as "100 percent completed," the inspection showed the project has not even started.
When a barangay official was asked about the delay, it was learned that the project was allegedly transferred to another barangay and the contract had expired on Oct. 7, 2023, it said.
Lastly, COZ said the road concreting at Barangay Salug, also in Guiuan town, was also found to be incomplete despite its "100 percent completed" status in the province's report. The audit team found uninstalled project billboards and signboards, and the project was allegedly abandoned by the contractor, it said.
COA pointed out that the failure of the province to provide the relevant information in its report violates the policy of full disclosure of all transactions involving public interest and deprives the people of their right to information on matters of public concern.
"The discrepancies between the percentage of completion reflected in the report and the actual accomplishment per site inspection by the audit team indicated lack of proper monitoring and validation of the project's implementation on the part of the Provincial Engineering Office (PEO)," it pointed out.
"The inconsistency and inaccuracy of information impair the reliability of the submitted reports, thereby depriving intended users of accurate information about the agency's actual completed/ongoing projects," it added.
COA then asked the provincial engineer to properly monitor the project implementation and undertake on-site validation to keep the report updated and prepare a GPPA report with accurate and complete data.
"Further, the report should be examined and reviewed by the pertinent signatories before submission to avoid erroneous information that will mislead decision-makers and the public," it said.
At the same time, COA said that government project contractors are required to properly inform the public about the project's progress by displaying tarpaulins and billboards and to keep these regularly updated.
This time, COA said it found that three provincial projects funded at P5.85 million had been reported as "100 percent completed" in 2023 even if two of the projects were still ongoing and the other has not been started at the time the audit was conducted.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/20/tanod-slays-brother-in-law-s-wife-after-she-refused-to-lend-him-money |
A barangay tanod or watchman allegedly gunned down the wife of his brother-in-law in Barangay 10, Victorias City, Negros Occidental after she refused to lend him money last Tuesday, April 16.
Police Capt. Genus David, deputy chief of the Victorias City Police Station, said that 54-year-old Joselito Salioc surrendered to them after surviving a bullet wound when he attempted to kill himself after the incident.
Salioc told police that he got irked when the victim, 58-year-old Emily Lorega, uttered unkind words to him while they were arguing about money.
David said the suspect, who was drunk and armed with a .357 caliber revolver, went to the victim’s house on Tuesday night and asked the victim if he could borrow money.
However, the victim refused, triggering a heated argument, until the suspect drew the gun and shot the victim in the chest.
David said that Salioc shot himself before fleeing. He hid in a sugarcane field and treated his wound before heading to his relatives in Kabankalan City.
Salioc contacted his wife about his plan to surrender. She coordinated with barangay officials and the police until the suspect was fetched in Kabankalan City late Thursday afternoon.
Murder charges were filed against Salioc on Friday, April 19.
David said the suspect was subjected to medical examination before he was detained at the police station.
A barangay tanod or watchman allegedly gunned down the wife of his brother-in-law in Barangay 10, Victorias City, Negros Occidental after she refused to lend him money last Tuesday, April 16.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/21/army-officer-shot-dead-inside-his-office |
An official of the Philippine Army was shot dead inside his office by an unidentified motorcycle-riding gunman early Saturday, April 20, in Barangay Marungko, Angat, Bulacan.
In a report submitted to Col. Relly B. Arnedo, Bulacan police director, the victim was identified as Maj. Dennis Naduja Moreno, 41, married, currently assigned to AFP-RESCOM General Headquarters and a resident of Brgy. San Roque, Angat, Bulacan.Probers cited the statement from the secretary of the victim who witnessed the incident. Moreno was inside his office when an unidentified armed suspect entered and fatally shot him multiple times using a short firearm.
The suspect swiftly fled the scene onboard a black motorcycle.
The victim was rushed to Twin Care Hospital for medical treatment but was later pronounced dead by attending physician Dr. Sherelyn Trandia.
The Bulacan police activated a flash alarm and initiated a dragnet operation to locate the suspect. The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) team from Regional Forensic Unit 3 was called upon to process the crime scene and gather evidence.
The Bulacan PNP urged those who have knowledge of the identity and location of the suspect to come forward and assist in the ongoing investigation.
An Army officer was assasssinated in his own house.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/21/9-pro-2-cops-staff-sacked |
Eight policemen and one non-uniformed personnel have been sacked for various offenses since Police Brig. Gen. Christopher C. Birung assumed as head of the Police Regional Office-2 in 2023.
The Discipline Law and Order Section of the Regional Personnel and Records Management said that the nine personnel were dismissed from service for grave misconduct, grave neglect of duty (Absent Without Official Leave, and conduct unbecoming of an officer.
Birung said that their dismissal is consistent with the strict implementation of the intensified internal cleansing program to make PNP a more accountable and credible organization.
“This is a clear manifestation that we are serious in our desire to cleanse our ranks in the PRO-2 and we do not tolerate policemen who violate the law and involve themselves in any irregularities and illegal activities," he added.
Eight policemen and one non-uniformed personnel have been sacked for various offenses since Police Brig. Gen. Christopher C. Birung assumed as head of the Police Regional Office-2 in 2023.
A barangay tanod or watchman was shot dead in upland Barangay Laga-an, Calatrava, Negros Occidental on Saturday, April 20.
Police identified the victim as Alexander Alquizar, 54, of Barangay Laga-an.
Police Major Ronald Santillan, Calatrava police chief, said the victim was tending to his farm around 5:30 a.m. when a group of men arrived and shot him. The victim’s wife saw the incident from a distance.
Alquiza succumbed to multiple bullet wounds.
Santillan said that it was possible that the suspects waited for the victim in the area.
He said they are not discounting the possibility that the incident might be insurgency-related.
Police are conducting follow-up probe.
A barangay tanod or watchman was shot dead in upland Barangay Laga-an, Calatrava, Negros Occidental on Saturday, April 20.
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https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/21/cop-fireman-arrested-for-illegal-gambling-in-iloilo-city
A cop, a fireman, and a baranay councilor have been arrested for illegal gambling. |
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/23/bi-officer-relieved-of-post-for-allowing-overtaying-foreigner-to-pass-thru-passenger-gate-sans-clearance |
An immigration officer has been relieved of his post and ordered investigated after he reportedly allowed an overstaying foreigner to pass through the passenger gate at the Clark International Airport (CIA) in Pampanga last April 17.
The foreigner, Indian national Jasbir Singh, was intercepted by the Bureau of Immigration's Border Control and Intelligence Unit (BI-BCIU) before he could board a flight to Singapore.
In a statement, the BI said that the immigration officer, whose name was withheld pendng results of the investigation, allowed Singh to pass through the passenger gate without a stamp of clearance from the bureau.
“According to BI-BCIU Acting Chief Vincent Bryan Allas, Singh presented his boarding pass with an immigration departure stamp and emergency travel document without a BI stamp,” it said.
“Allas said it was obvious that the passenger wanted to leave without paying the immigration fees and fines that overstaying alien tourists are assessed and required to pay before they could be cleared to leave the country,” it also said.
The BI noted Singh arrived in the Philippines last Dec. 9, 2023 and was admitted as a tourist for 21 days. He is now detained at the BI's facility in Taguig City pending his deportation.
On the case of the immigration officer, Commissioner Norman Tansingco said: "He will be facing an investigation for possible cases of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service."
An immigration officer has been relieved of his post and ordered investigated after he reportedly allowed an overstaying foreigner to pass through the passenger gate at the Clark International Airport (CIA) in Pampanga last April 17.
The Commission on Audit (COA) has scored the delay in the construction of the P316.4 million Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower building of the Clark International Airpot (CIA) in Pampanga.
In its audit report, COA said that the construction of the ATC buildng was only 60.90 percent complete as of Dec. 31, 2023 despite its targetted completion date of Jan. 24, 2022.
It said its auditors checked the construction of the ATC at CIA last March 7 and found it has not been completed.
In its report, COA also said that another project that has incurred delays was the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the Primary Surveillance Radar and Monopulse Secondary Radar, which costs P624.03 million but remains 25.9 percent completed. Its original target completion date was Feb. 18, 2023.
It noted that ATC Tower originally had a 365-day contract duration, but was pushed back a total of five times. It was given contract extensions of 90 days, 120 days, 60 days, 80 days, and 215 days, or a total of 565 days. Now, its latest completion date has been targetted on Aug. 12, 2024, it also said.
For the Primary and Secondary Radars, COA said project had a 510-day contract duration, but had been granted three extensions of 90 days, 317 days, and 180 days or a total of 587 days. The latest completion date for the project is set on Sept. 27, 2024.
COA said it was told that the main reason why the ATC Tower experienced "protracted delays" was because of the trouble incurred in obtaining Height Clearance Permit.
However, COA said it has been informed that things are now moving along after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) asked CIA to submit additional documentation in support of the study as well as the "implementation status of the mitigating actions for the construction of the New Air Traffic Control Tower" and the 16 flight procedure designs.
Also in its report, COA pointed out that the delays incurred have deprived the government of the "timely utilization of the much-needed infrastructure by its intended beneficiaries," and they blamed it on "inadequate planning, supervision, and monitoring."
The Commission on Audit (COA) has scored the delay in the construction of the P316.4 million Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower building of the Clark International Airpot (CIA) in Pampanga.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/23/coa-chides-clark-international-airport-officials-for-irregular-unnecessary-travel-expenses-in-2023 |
The officials and members of the Board of Directors (BODs) of Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) disbursed P3.1 million in "irregular and unnecessary" expenses for foreign travels in 2023, the Commission on Audit (COA) said in its annual audit report.
COA said that the CIAC officials failed to keep the number of delegates to the barest minimum and they lacked the approval of travel orders from authorized officials. They also claimed expenses for excess baggage despite incomplete basis and documentation, it said.
The board members and other officials made travels to Australia, Japan, and Canada in 2023 with the purpose of "Investment Mission" and "Benchmarking Mission" and incurred expenses totalling P3,102,162.87, it said.
Based on its report, COA said the first trip was to Australia from June 24 to July 1, 2023, It said the board members spent P339,834.40, while the manager of Strategy and Corporate Management Department and the manager of the Marketing Department spent P337,462.94 and P270,742.94, respectively.
It said the second trip was to Japan from Sept. 4 to 8, 2023. The vce president for Administration and Finance Group and the legal officer at the Office of the Assistant Vice President spent P134,076.93 each. The manager of the Marketing Department spent P134,356.93, it also said.
In the Cadana trip from Nov. 6 to 17 in 2023, the board members spent P291,435.30, while the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Vice President for Administration and Finance Group, Manager of Strategy and Corporate Management Department, Manager of Engineering Department, and PCEO Senior Executive Assistant each spent P291,435.30, COA said.
The audit report noted that there were three to six participants at each of the international conferences, and the CIAC failed to specify and justify the role of each member in the delegation.
COA pointed out: "The attendance of certain individuals can be considered unnecessary, as demonstrated by the absence of a letter of invitation extended to each participant. Moreover, the purpose of travel for all participants, as indicated in the request for travel authority, was to accomplish a similar objective, without specifying the distinctive and significant contributions of each individual participant."
At the same time, COA said the disbursements' supporting documents showed that the travel orders (TOs) for the participants lacked approval from the appropriate authority.
"The authorization for the travels and payment of travel expenses for the officers and members of the BOD was solely issued by the CIAC President and CEO, without any approval from the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and the Office of the President," it said.
Without the approved TOs, the COA said that the expenses made during their foreign travels were deemed "irregular."
Finally, COA questioned the reimbursements of P46,476.24 made for excess baggage, which was supported by official receipts from the airline company. However, it wondered why there was no justification or documentation, such as photographs, provided to support the need to pay extra fees for additional baggage.
It said the excess baggage incurred may be personal and should have been paid by the officials from their own funds.
The officials and members of the Board of Directors (BODs) of Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) disbursed P3.1 million in "irregular and unnecessary" expenses for foreign travels in 2023, the Commission on Audit (COA) said in its annual audit report.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/23/coa-flags-aurora-province-over-misuse-of-2-3-m-rice-processing-complex |
The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the provincial government of Aurora over the "misuse" of its Rice Processing Complex (RPC) worth $2.3 million and the uncollected income from its supposed lease to a farmers' cooperative.
The RPC was constructed on a $2.3 million grant from the Korean government through the Korea International Cooperative Agency (KOICA), the COA said in its 2023 annual audit report (AAR) on the province.
COA said the RPC was constructed on a 3,789-square-meter lot at Barangay Reserva, Baler, Aurora in December 2007 with the primary purpose of creating jobs and increasing incomes of farmer-beneficiaries by reducing their post-production losses, enhancing the quality of their milled rice, and improving distribution.
But COA said its 2011 audit revealed that the operation of the RPC was not recognized in the books of the province. In fact, there were no financial transactions from RPC's operation from 2009 to 2011, it said. The Provincial Accounting Office (PAO) was then directed to recognize the RPC operations under special accounts and submit the related financial reports to the COA.
Upon compliance, COA said the total grant of $2.3 million for the establishment and operation of RPC was finally taken up in the books of the province in 2012. Now, there were "operational concerns" that popped up, it said.
The RPC's operations took a screeching halt in 2013 because of its overall unprofitable outlook, COA said. The provincial government tried to revive things in 2018 by operating the RPC through a Farmer's Organization (FO) by way of joint ventures of cooperative agreements.
As the biggest farmer's cooperative in the province, the Maria Aurora Development Cooperative (MADECO) was chosen to operate the RPC and they entered into a MOA on Dec. 11, 2018, COA said.
Sadly, state auditors noticed "gaps" pertaining to the implementation of the MOA. Part of the MOA stated that "a rental fee for the use of the facilities of the provincial government of Aurora shall be determined based on the profitability analysis laid out in the business plan," the auditors said.
They said that while the province intended to lease out the RPC, a review of financial records from January to December 2023 showed that the terms of the contract on rental fees were not enforced. The province was not able to collect any rental fees from MADECO since it started using the facilities, it said.
At the same time, the use of the RPC and status of operations were not monitored by the province, it also said. "Lack of concrete information on the result of operations of RPC deprived the province of inputs in deciding whether the continued non-collection of rental fees from MADECO is justified notwithstanding the absence of legislative sanction on the matter," it added.
"The non-observance of the provisions and guidelines set forth in the MOA constitutes a breach of the agreement that rendered questionable the operation of MADECO at the Aurora RPC. Further, the province's goal of re-establishing the Aurora RPC as an economic enterprise may be derailed as the supposed income from this contract was not realized," it also said.
The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the provincial government of Aurora over the "misuse" of its Rice Processing Complex (RPC) worth $2.3 million and the uncollected income from its supposed lease to a farmers' cooperative.
The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the March 21, 2022 decision of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) which dismissed from the service three immigration officers for their involvement in the controversial “pastillas” scheme at the airports.
In a decision written by Associate Justice Maximo de Leon, affirmed was the dismissal of Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers Aurelio S. Lucero, George V. Bituin and Salahuddin P. Hadjinoor for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
“As the Office of the Ombudsman found Lucero, Bituin and Hadjinoor to be part of the ‘pastillas group’ based on the overwhelming substantial evidence against them, We see no reason to depart from the same. The ruling of the Office of the Ombudsman as regards Lucero, Bituin and Hadjinoor is affirmed,” the CA ruled.
Under the “pastillas” scheme, entry of foreign nationals – most of them Chinese workers in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) – were unhampered without their credentials checked for monetary consideration.
Investigation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Senate showed that the bribe money is wrapped and made to appear as pastillas, a noted Filipino delicacy.
More than 100 immigration officers were charged criminally and administratively before the OMB by the NBI.
In 2022, the OMB charged 43 of them before the Sandiganbayan with violations of Section 3 of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for giving unwarranted benefits and preference to more than 100 Chinese passengers who managed to enter the country without the required profiling and screening processes.
In the same CA decision, the appellate court granted the petition of BI frontline officer Frances Meeka Flores, who was also implicated in the “pastillas” scheme.
The CA ordered her reinstatement to her previous position. “Accordingly, the penalty of dismissal from service meted against Frances Meeka Flores is set aside and she is ordered to be immediately reinstated to her former position” it said.
It also ruled that Flores is entitled to backwages from the time of her unlawful dismissal on 21 March 2022, at the rate last received by her without qualification and deduction, until the date of her actual reinstatement.
The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the March 21, 2022 decision of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) which dismissed from the service three immigration officers for their involvement in the controversial “pastillas” scheme at the airports.
The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has ordered the dismissal of 12 directors and two former general managers of Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) involved in improper disbursements of more than PHP87 million.In a statement issued during a press conference Tuesday, led by Administrator Antonio Almeda, the NEA said its decision dated April 18 is based on the report and recommendation of the Administrative Committee and following a comprehensive audit covering the operations of Kabankalan City- Noceco from Aug. 1, 2019 to April 30, 2023.
It identified those involved as directors Richard Benedicto, Raymundo Tongson Jr., Reynaldo Bedaure Jr., Eduardo Benjamin Alonso, Rolito Espinosa, John Peter Millan, Elbert Magbato, Rey Ronald Cabalde, Edmund Arceo, Ma. Rama Espinosa, Allan Paul Mirasol and Jose Emeric Jabagat (deceased).
Also named in the decision were Jonas Discaya and Engr. Ray Bustamante, who previously served as general managers.
They were meted the penalty of removal; accessory penalty of disqualification from reinstatement or reemployment in any electric cooperative and/or to run as candidate for a director position in any electric cooperative; and forfeiture of monetary benefits.
“In summary, Noceco’s board of directors were found to have unduly granted themselves at least PHP65,534,504.20, representing numerous allowances and benefits,” the NEA decision stated.
Discaya “was found to have been unduly granted and received at least PHP20,128,907.28, representing improper increases in his salary and per diems as a general manager of Noceco, excess gratuity pay, travel expenses and other benefits."
“Engr. Bustamante was found to have been unduly granted and received at least PHP2,127,111, representing undue increase in his salary and per diems as a supposed general manager of Noceco, as well as other unwarranted benefits,” it added.
According to the NEA, the Noceco board of directors blatantly disregarded the NEA rules and guidelines when they appointed Bustamante after the retirement of Discaya.
“In sum, the concerned directors, together with former general manager Jonas Discaya, admitted to being aware of the NEA’s regulatory jurisdiction over electric cooperatives registered with the Cooperative Development Authority such as Noceco. Nevertheless, they also admit the fact that they chose to disregard the same and continued to unilaterally and unduly grant themselves numerous monetary benefits,” NEA said.
Bustamante was first issued a 90-day suspension order in October last year, personally enforced by Almeda, who named Domingo Santiago as project supervisor and acting general manager.
He was again suspended until April 8, afterwhich the NEA ordered his removal from his post in its latest decision.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/24/coa-flags-nueva-ecija-over-p34-7-m-hike-in-fuel-consumption-in-2023 |
"Weakness in internal control and lapses in monitoring and recording" brought about the P34.7 million increase in the costs of fuel consumption by the province of Nueva Ecija in 2023, the Commission on Audit (COA) said.
In its audit report, COA said that Nueva Ecija spent P100.6 million for fuel, oil, and lubricant in 2023 compared to P65.8 million disbursed in 2022 or a P34.7 million increase.
It said the Provincial General Services Office (PGSO) is responsible for overseeing and managing the fuel inventory of the province stored in fuel tanks at the provincial motor pool in Cabanatuan City. It has a pump attendant who dispenses fuel to identified provincial vehicles.
In its report, COA said its auditors blamed the increase on the weakness in internal control as well as lapses in monitoring and recording of fuel withdrawals.
It said the pump attendant explained to auditors that drivers of vehicles owned by the province must first present a purchase order (PO) or an equivalent document when requesting refueling. This document contains the vehicle's plate number, the name of the driver, the approver of the document and their respective signatures, and the amount of fuel in liters to be issued.
But in 2023, COA said that fuel withdrawals were made despite lapses in documentation. It said that the officials concerned failed to strictly observe the maintenance and submission of Daily Gas Issue Record, Requisition and Issue Voucher (RIV), Summary of Daily Totals of Requisition and Issue Vouchers, and Gasoline Control Cards.
"The Monthly Summary of Delivery and Consumption of the Fuel serves as the equivalent document of the Daily Gas Issue Record. However, upon examination of supporting documents, it is evident that the control mechanism is weakened, and the attachments essential for monitoring fuel storage tank inventory are incomplete," it said.
It pointed out that the RIV and their daily summaries play a pivotal role in ensuring the reasonableness and accuracy of the reported quantity of fuel consumption. The figures in the RIV summary should also be equal with those in the Gasoline Control Card maintained by the pump attendant, it said.
It also said that other documents also help ensure that all withdrawals of fuel from the tank are authorized, proper, and fully accounted for and the quantity appearing in the inventory reports is reliable and accurate.
"The noted lapses by management in the submission of the above-mentioned required documents raised doubts on the propriety of issuance and efficient utilization of fuel, as well as the accuracy of the reported expenses associated with fuel consumption," COA's report stated.
COA recommended that the PGSO must strictly observe the required complete documentation of transactions pertinent to the maintenance, control, and operation of fuel storage so as to avoid a similar issue to appear in the following year.
In its audit report, COA said that Nueva Ecija spent P100.6 million for fuel, oil, and lubricant in 2023 compared to P65.8 million disbursed in 2022 or a P34.7 million increase.
An official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) survived while his driver was killed after they were ambushed by unidentified men in Quezon City on Tuesday afternoon.
The shooting occurred in Barangay Santol at around 5:30 p.m., police investigators said.
The official, with the rank of revenue officer IV and assigned in Quezon City, was in a Toyota Fortuner sport utility vehicle (SUV) when they were attacked at the corner of Gregorio Araneta Avenue and Bayani street.
Probers said two men on a motorcycle were involved in the attack. The back rider, who was armed with a handgun of unknown caliber, opened fire at the vehicle.
The BIR official managed to jump out of the SUV while his driver, 29-year-old Arvin Lacuesta, was hit by bullets.
The suspects then sped off toward an unknown destination. The BIR official sought assistance from bystanders, who contacted a rescue ambulance that brought Lacuesta to the East Avenue Medical Center.
Despite efforts by physicians, Lacuesta succumbed to his injuries at around 7:25 p.m.
Probers recovered five bullet casings, a fired cartridge case and a cartridge at the scene of the shooting.
The Quezon City Police District has yet to issue a statement on the shooting as of yesterday afternoon.
An official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) survived while his driver was killed after they were ambushed by unidentified men in Quezon City on Tuesday afternoon.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/24/comelec-disqualifies-gov-mamba-of-cagayan-anew |
The Commission on Elections disqualified Gov. Manuel Mamba of this province in the May 9, 2022 elections.The poll body issued a 23-page ruling on Wednesday, April 24, granting the petition filed by a lawyer who alleged that Mamba used public funds in providing financial aid, scholarship grants, and transportation for their constituents during the 45-day prohibition period in violation of election laws and resolutions.
Mamba appealed to the people of this province to remain calm amid the order issued by the Comelec First Division.
He said in a statement that he is ready to deal with all fabricated cases against him in the processes provided by law.
Mamba said they will file a Motion for Reconsideration before the Comelec en banc within five days.
He said he will remain as governor until there is no final decision.
Mamba said he was also in the same situation in December 2022 when the Comelec Second Division issued a disqualification order against him.
Dr. Zara de Guzman-Lara, who Mamba defeated in the last elections, filed disqualification cases in the First and Second Divisions of the Comelec.
Two days earlier, on Monday, April 22, the Supreme Court (SC) reversed the Comelec decision that dismissed the disqualification case filed against Mamba by Lara.
As a result of the disqualification of Mamba, the vice governor, Melvin Vargas Jr., will automatically fill his post in line with the law on succession.
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