OMA officials cleared but admonished over cash advances

CEBU, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman cleared two officials of the regional office of the Muslim affairs from dishonesty charges but admonished and reprimanded the two for unliquidated and delayed liquidation of cash advances.

The anti-graft office advised that OMA regional accountant Mitchel Sumalipao should exert more effort to trace the records of employees granted with cash advances amounting to P135,204, which remains unliquidated.

Supply Officer Saipal Bazar was also reprimanded for the delay in the liquidation of cash advances amounting to P616,321, which he incurred in 2004.

Sumalipao and Bazar were charged for dishonesty by the Commission on Audit over their alleged failure to liquidate their cash advances.

Sumalipao, however, explained that the cash advances she failed to liquidate were not hers but were received by the other officials or employees of OMA prior to her assumption to office as regional accountant in 1997.

She explained further that she could no longer trace the recipients of the cash advances because her predecessor did not formally turn over official records to her.

Bazar, on the other hand, presented evidence that he has already liquidated the cash advances in question but admitted that the liquidation was delayed.

COA eventually affirmed the claims of the two respondents prompting the Ombudsman to dismiss the case against them. — Fred P. Languido/JMO (THE FREEMAN)