Former COA state auditor Marilou Reyes, and lawyers Romeo Carlos Ting Jr., Lyzander Dilag, Pacifico Maghari III and Karol Joseph Chiu (l-r) at the press conference Tuesday.*
Mayor-elect Alfredo “Albee” Benitez has red-flagged more than P1.5 billion in Bacolod City government transactions for investigation, his spokesperson Lyzander “Bong” Dilag announced Tuesday, June 28.
Benitez on his assumption of office will issue an executive order creating a committee, dubbed the truth commission, which will correct the errors of the past and ensure that they do not happen again, Dilag said at a press conference at the Negros Residences in Bacolod City.
“To achieve our goal of good governance, it may be a necessary consequence to hold accountable those public officials who may have violated our laws,” Dilag quoted a press statement of Benitez.
“But also, the goal of this process is to serve as a warning to all those serving under my administration to strictly adhere to existing laws and proper procedure so as to avoid these grand malevolent schemes committed in the past,” Benitez said in the statement.
As mayor it is his duty to safeguard all properties and funds of the city government, Benitez said.
Benitez said the findings of the committee will serve as their guide moving forward.
The committee will look into transactions entered into by the city government to ensure that only those that complied with applicable laws, rules and regulations will be honored by his administration, Benitez said.
Benitez said he is tapping the services of experts with relevant experience in government procurement to aid the committee for an efficient and thorough review of transactions of the city government.
Dilag cited eight items based on available Commission of Audit (COA) reports, for a more detailed examination.
He cited cash grants and advances that were reported to remain unliquidated within the prescribed period totaling P400 million, which means receipts and other required proof to support payments were not presented.
The amount includes P130 million released to government officials, employees and special disbursing officers from 2017 to 2019, P49 million to various non-government organizations from 2017 to 2019, P183 million to government officials and employees related to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and P38 million in medical supplies and PPEs for the COVID-19 response in 2020, he said.
Dilag also cited payment of P506 million from 2018 to 2019 for landfill and sanitation services to contractors without alleged supporting documents for accomplishment.
Also raised were alleged discrepancies totaling P1 billion from 2017 to 2019 in the account “construction-in progress”, which cover infrastructure projects of Bacolod City.
The P112 million sourced from the City Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management fund for the support purchase of equipment in 2020 will also be looked into, Dilag said.
It appears that the equipment paid from the fund was not recorded as an “asset” in the City books that lead one to question whether the equipment actually exist, he said.
Also to be investigated are the supplies and inventory accounts procedure, and the quick response funds intended for emergencies that were used for procurement of certain projects but were not distributed by year end, Dilag said.
Unimplemented projects totaling 363 from 2017 to 2019, and the unutilized Special Education Fund and Gender Development Fund totaling P281 million will also be probed, he added.
Gross inefficiencies in recording and monitoring of funds and projects in the General Services Office, City Accountant’s Office and City Engineering Office leading to substantial variances of P177 million from 2017 to 2018 will also be looked into, Dilag said.
Dilag was joined by incoming city administrator Pacifico Maghari III, secretary to the mayor Karol Joseph Chiu and legal officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr., who are all lawyers, and resource person Marilou Reyes, a former COA state of auditor.
The executive order creating the truth committee is expected to be released on July 1, Maghari said.
The committee will be headed by Ting, with Maghari and third person yet to be identified as members.
Reyes said the eight items outlined for more detailed examination were culled from the COA annual audit reports covering 2017 to 2020.
Some of the findings might have already been addressed by the current city administration but there are still a lot of audit findings for the period covered that remain unimplemented or have been partially implemented, she said.
They are indicators and red flags that need further verification, Maghari said.
Maghari also said the committee’s investigation will not be limited to the eight items raised, they are just the starting points.
Concerns on the hiring of ghost employees will be taken up at the proper time, he added.*