Mejorada defends Tupas from Truth Commission probe
Just as the Iloilo provincial government under Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. disclosed that the Truth Commission is investigating the alleged anomalous transactions of the previous administration, an aide of former Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. said Tupas is not to blame for the supposed questionable fund releases during his term.
“If there is somebody to blame over the P221 million disallowances, it should be the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (members) because they were the ones who approved the budget,” former Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada said.
“If ever the transactions were disallowed, it’s not former Governor Tupas who is personally liable but those public officials who approved the budget,” he added.
According to a Capitol report, on November 9, the Commission on Audit in Iloilo province submitted to the COA Regional Office a list of 14 transactions during the Tupas administration amounting to P220.2 million which it considered as “irregular, unnecessary, excessive and extravagant or unconscionable.”
These include the illegal releases of the P71 million extra cash gifts in 2008 and the P102.7 million Productivity Enhancement Incentive for Capitol employees in 2009.
Mejorada, however, said the Tupas camp is confident the issue will fade away soon because the Defensor administration has no basis and evidence of Tupas’ administrative and criminal liabilities.
“They have been telling us since before that they are filing cases against us
but until now no case has been filed. We believe that this is still part of politics,” he said.
Mejorada said they are willing to face charges if there is sufficient evidence to prove their liabilities.
“The said (releases) were given to the employees and used with good intentions,” he ended.
In a press release yesterday, the Capitol said Truth Commission chief Hilario Davide’s letter request and the series of memoranda coming from various levels of COA disproves allegations that the publication of the reports on the anomalies committed by the Tupas administration were orchestrated by his successor to embarrass and discredit the former governor.
Documents from COA showed the alleged anomalies committed by the Tupas administration are among those submitted to the Truth Commission in compliance with Resolution No. 008, series of 2010.
The said resolution was promulgated on Sept. 20, 2010 where the commission requested COA to provide the probe body with “information on cases of disallowances of expenditures on grounds that the same were irregular, unnecessary, excessive and extravagant or unconscionable.”
The Truth Commission’s request, dated Sept. 23, 2010 and signed by Davide himself, was forwarded by COA chair Reynaldo Villar in a memoradum dated Oct. 22, 2010 to COA Regional Director Salvador Isiderio who, in turn, sent the same to COA team in the Province of Iloilo headed by Nilo Castigador on Nov. 2, 2010.
Also in the list of the alleged anomalies are the illegal release of bonuses to day care workers and barangay service point officers amounting to P22.9 million in 2008 and the 14th month pay in 2004 of P20.8 million; the anomalous procurement of a P1.15-million Autoclave Machine for the Iloilo Provincial Hospital; and the anomalous deal involving catering services at the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center costing P643,582.
Another item included is the illegal transfer of load or pasaload amounting to P8,698.05 from the mobile phone of Tupas to other mobile phones which COA said was not a proper charge as communication benefit for the governor.*
