One gov’t agency has only P22k cash in bank –ex-COA commissioner

A former official of the Commission on Audit (COA) on Wednesday said there was a government agency that supposedly has only P22,000 cash in bank, but whose disbursing officers have cash in bank by the millions.

During an online forum, former COA Commissioner Heidi Mendoza said she was surprised by the discovery while studying notes to financial statements of the agency.

“Nagulat ako pagtingin ko ng isang ahensya, pasensya na ha, hindi ko muna sasabihin at ‘wag naman mabugbog nang husto. ‘Yung cash in bank P22,000 lang pero ‘yung (I was surprised when I checked on one agency, sorry but I won’t name it, the cash in bank was only P22,000 but the) cash in other officers by the millions,” she said.

“So medyo red flag po ito kasi paano nangyari na ang pera nakalabas lahat sa mga disbursing officers at wala na halos naiwan sa cash in bank, no?” she added.

(That was a red flag because how come the cash was with the disbursing officers and almost none with the agency).

Mendoza, however, said she would withhold the name of the agency at the time being in fear that it would be “severely beaten” by the public.

“Hindi naman ho ako nagbibigay ng ano dito, mahabang usapin o panghuhusga, ang sinasabi ko lang posible din po kasi na wala pang adjustment… baka mamaya nakapag liquidate na ‘yung iba… so pwede naman ma-correct,” she said.

(I am not putting any malice or judgement  because it is possible that they have yet to make any adjustment…maybe they have liquidated…they can still correct it.)

According to Mendoza, unliquidated cash advances are also increasing.

“Mahirap po ito dahil pagpapalit ng administrasyon, syempre magpapalit din ng key officials. Mahirap maghabol ng unliquidated cash advances,” she said.

(That is difficult because when there is a new administration, of course there will be a change of key officials. It is difficult to run after unliquidated cash advances.)

“Kailangan lahat ng agencies magliquidate sila… hindi natin sinasabing ‘yung pera nandyan pa kasi posibleng nagastos na kaya lang hindi nili-liquidate. Ito ‘yung problema kapag sinasabing papel-papel ‘lang yan,” she added.

(All agencies should liquidate their funds…we are not saying that the money is just there because it is possible that they have used it but was not able to liquidate.) —AOL, GMA News