By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter)
Laoag City—The 11th
Sangguniang Panlungsod of Laoag has restarted its probe on the missing PHP85.4
million.
The third committee
hearing—in aid of legislation—was held June 3, 2020 at the SP Session Hall.
Laoag Vice Mayor
Vicentito M. Lazo presided over the committee hearing with city government personnel
allegedly involved from the cash division Milagros R. Quiape, Karen Mae
Salvador-Racadio, Lani T. Ruiz, Antonete Bareng, acting city treasurer Diomedes
Gayban and city accountant Edgar Pascual attending.
The hearing follows SP
Resolution 2020-02, sponsored by Mr. Lazo, which calls for the investigation of
the still unresolved issue.
The resource persons
were put on oath by city legal counsel Josephus Neres.
Records show that the
city government is missing PHP85.4 million as of December 2016, during the incumbency
of former city treasurer Elena Asuncion.
Upon learning of the
missing amount, Mrs. Asuncion fled to the United States of America on June 14,
2016 when accountant Mr. Pascual discovered the missing amount.
The 10th
Sangguniang Panlungsod began the initial investigation of the issue, also on
“aid of legislation”.
The previous council
passed four resolution about the missing fund: resolution giving authority to
the city government of Laoag, represented by former Laoag Mayor Chevylle V.
Fariñas to terminate/close the city’s accounts with both the Philippine
National Bank (PNB) and Rang Ay Bank in compliance with the Bureau of Local
Government Finance (BLGF) memorandum circular No. 06-2016 an of other purposes;
r
Resolution requiring
all depository banks of the city government of Laoag for the submission of
monthly statements to the city mayor, Sangguniang Panlungsod, city treasurer,
city accountant, and the Commission on Audit of Laoag City pertaining to all
accounts maintained by the city regardless of its nature and classification;
Resolution requiring
the city accountant and the city treasurer to submit to the Sangguniang
Panlungsod, office of the city mayor, and the Commission on Audit regular
monthly reports on the result of reconciliation of records of all city bank
accounts and the actual collections of the city treasurer;
And a resolution
requesting the Commission on Audit to facilitate the conduct of the
investigation pertaining to the missing funds of the city government of
Laoag.
The COA Central
Division Anti-Fraud Division requested the city government of Laoag for some
documents they need in the on-going investigation.
The Ilocos Times learned
that the breakdown of the missing fund are as follows: LBP with the amount of PHP22,766,270.57
in both savings and time deposit accounts; DBP with PHP36,296,252.75, both
savings and time deposit accounts; PNB with PHP11,263,037.98 both savings and
time deposits; and Rang-ay Bank with PHP15,079,904.59 savings accounts.
Prior to the latest
resolution approved, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Laoag district office
thru agent-in-charge Atty. Diosdado N. Araos filed a plunder case against Laoag
City treasurer Elena V. Asuncion at the Office of the Ombudsman on February 23,
2017.
Sanctions were also
imposed on city cashier Bella C. Santiago and others from the cash division
Milagros R. Qiuape, Karen Mae Salvador-Racadio and Lani T. Ruiz, who wittingly
or witting or unwittingly allowed themselves to be used by Mrs. Asuncion and
who failed to safeguard the city government money in their custody and
disposal.
Mr. Pascual was also
included in the recommendation for administrative sanction for omission in the
performance of his duties and functions as city accountant.
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