Did Capitol obey COA rules on dole outs?

FORMER Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel “Boy” Mejorada has asked the Iloilo provincial government to furnish him with documents that would show it followed a Commission on Audit (COA) circular on the grant of financial assistance to people’s organizations (POs) and non-government organizations (NGOs).

In a letter dated September 28, 2018, Mejorada requested Dr. Raul Banias, current Iloilo provincial administrator, for certified copies of these documents proving the LGU’s release of millions of pesos to POs and NGOs in March to May 2013 complied with COA Circular No. 2007-001.

Mejorada provided The Daily Guardian a copy of his letter.

In a statement, Mejorada said COA Circular No. 2007-001 prescribes the qualifications for POs and NGOs that can be extended financial assistance by LGUs. This includes accreditation of each project proposal by the Bids and Awards Committee created for the purpose, he said.

The former capitol executive said he found it hard to believe that the LGU was able to release millions of pesos in financial assistance for livelihood projects within a week after it received P40,500,000 from the national government as part of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

Based on records released by Atty. Dennis Ventilacion, provincial legal officer, the Province of Iloilo was a recipient of a P40,500,000 fund by way of SARO No. G-13-00545 dated March 4, 2013. The notice of cash allocation was received on March 19, 2013, meaning the money was already in the LGU’s Land Bank account.

The subsidiary ledger for the trust account for this DAP fund showed that the Province started releasing funds to POs and NGOs on March 27, 2013.

“How could the process under COA Circular No. 2007-001 been complied with in such a short period of time?” he asked.

Mejorada believes Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. disregarded all laws, rules and regulations just to be able to release the funds that he described as dole-outs with courting the votes of PO/NGO members in mind.

Defensor was a re-electionist candidate in 2013 against 4th District Rep. Ferjenel Biron.

Mejorada said Defensor could also have violated the Comelec prohibition on the release of public funds during the 45-day campaign period that began on March 29, 2013 until election day.

“I am not aware of any exemption obtained by the Defensor administration from the Commission on Elections on the release of funds during the campaign period,” he said.

SOURCE: The Daily Guardian

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