Acting city treasurer’s term extended

CEBU, Philippines -  The Bureau of Local Government and Finance has extended the term of Acting Cebu City Treasurer Emma Villarete for another six months or until July 17 this year.

Under the policy of the Department of Finance, the term of office of the acting city treasurer can be extended twice as what the BLGF officials did for former acting city treasurer Ofelia Oliva.

Villarete’s first six months in office as acting treasurer of Cebu City ended last January 17, but the DOF had decided to extend her term for another six months.

She was designated acting treasurer after the BLGF relieved Oliva and reassigned her to the BLGF regional office.

BLGF-7 Regional Director Carmelane Tugas earlier designated Assistant City Treasurer for operations Tessie Camarillo as office caretaker while waiting for the order from the Department of Finance.

It was Villarete who supervised the operations of One-Stop-Shop at SM City where the business taxpayers paid their obligation to the city from January 2 to January 20.

Mayor Michael Rama supported the BLGF’s move of extending the term of Villarete as acting city treasurer.

The DOF-BLGF can’t designate a permanent treasurer for Cebu City until City Treasurer Eustaquio Cesa retires from active service.

At present, Cesa is currently the head of the Assessor’s Office because he asked to be reassigned to another position after he was implicated in a case filed against several former City Hall officials in connection with the illegal activities of some City Hall paymasters.

The paymasters were accused of stealing millions of pesos in public funds that led to the filing of case against Cesa and other city officials.   (FREEMAN)