COA finds discrepancy in Asturias lot purchase

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Audit has discovered that the purchase of lots by the municipality of Asturias has been done without proper documents.

In its annual report, COA found out that the payment vouchers for the lots acquired by the town for P4,440,880 were not supported with documentary evidence. 

“The ownership is not evidenced by Torrens Title in the name of the municipality,” said the COA report, explaining that the purchase violated Section 449 of the Government Accounting and Auditing Manual (GAAM).

Section 449 of GAAM provides that land purchased by agencies of the government shall be evidenced by a Torrens Title drawn in the name of the government.

Of the four lots purchased by the town, the lots 8123 and 8124 were issued a copy of the latest tax declaration transferring the owner vendor to the government.

“The local chief executive who authorized and all others who allowed the payment of the lots in the absence of tax declaration and Torrents title should help facilitate and expedite the transfer of ownership of the lots to protect the interest of the government,” COA recommended.

It said that if the local officials failed to facilitate, the concerned individual “should refund the amount paid by the municipality.”

Furthermore, the commission told the municipality that it would monitor the progress of the titling of the lots otherwise it will be forced to take appropriate action.

In the same annual report, the commission also told the municipality to stop the practice of hiring job order personnel whose services extended beyond six months.

“Engaging the services of the personnel through job order scheme applied by the LGU on a continued basis should be subjected to the Personal Services limitation as prescribed the Department of Budget Management,” it said.

Upon review of municipal transactions, the COA noticed that job order employees engaged by the municipality were charged to the general services or janitorial services under the Maintenance and Operating Expenses (MOOE) account.

The persons hired were support personnel of the different departments of the municipality for three months. But after the expiration of their employment, they were issued another job order extending their services for another three months.

But the commission said that “the practice violates the criteria on the employment of services through job orders.”— Garry B. Lao/LPM   (FREEMAN NEWS)