The new municipal treasurer of Isabela, Negros Occidental, will assume his post on Friday, February 3, while the Commission on Audit investigates the whereabouts of about P7 million in alleged missing funds from the town treasury, Provincial Treasurer Amy Grace Bolivar said Thursday.
Jesse Gumapas, former acting municipal treasurer of Toboso, has been assigned to Isabela.
Current Isabela municipal treasurer Nenette Mandadero Escarda will be reassigned to the Provincial Treasurer’s Office, Bolivar said.
Isabela Mayor Irene Montilla had requested for the revocation of the designation of Escarda, Bolivar said.
An audit is being conducted on the extent of the shortage of the Isabala municipal government funds, she said.
Escarda reported to the police that funds and checks belonging to the Isabela municipal government were stolen from her house at Las Palmas Subdivision in Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City, on January 21.
“We are not convinced that a robbery took place because we were not satisfied with her answers,” Capt. Dax Santillan, Bacolod Police Station 6 chief, said Wednesday.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the Isabela municipal treasurer has to be answerable. She should explain what happened to the money, he said.
“Definitely we will address that issue and investigate,” Lacson added.*