Council: Explain salary release

CEBU, Philippines - Why is it that the Cebu City government is still releasing salary to an employee who has not fully liquidated P4 million in cash advance?

This was the question raised by the members of the City Council yesterday, as it approved the resolution of City Councilor Alvin Arcilla directing City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas and City Accountant Mark Salomon to explain why a certain Carlos “Charlie” Reyes is still getting his salary even when he has not yet settled his accountability.

Arcilla attached in his approved resolution a payroll document from the City Treasurer’s Office that shows that Reyes has received his salary from January 1 to July 31 this year without any deductions for the unliquidated cash advances.

That is why the council directed Cuevas and Salomon “to inform this August Body who authorized the payment of salaries to Mr. Carlos Reyes despite his unliquidated cash advances.”

Reyes is an administrative assistant detailed at the Office of the Mayor, specifically under the Cebu City Sports Commission.

In 2012, Reyes was granted P4.7 million in cash advance for prizes and trophies given to winners of basketball tournaments and other various sports activities in different barangays in the city.

As of press time, Reyes has yet to liquidate over P1 million.

Yesterday, the council also approved the resolution authored by City Councilor Alvin Dizon that asked the executive department, through the City Legal Office and the City Treasurer’s Office, to file a complaint against officials and employees who still have unliquidated cash advances beyond the 30-day period required by the Commission on Audit.

“Urban poor beneficiaries of the City’s socialized housing program are given notices of eviction after a three-month delay in their payments, while these city officials and employees escape liability,” Dizon said.

He said the names of officials and employees who failed to liquidate cash advances should be published, not for a “shame campaign” but for them to be accountable to the public, who religiously pay taxes.

Sought for his comment, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who did not preside over the regular session yesterday, said these officials and employees should be given reasonable time to explain why they failed to liquidate on time.

Labella is acting mayor starting today after Mayor Michael Rama left for Indonesia to give a talk on sustainable urbanization.

He said that though public interest demands that complaints should be filed, the City Legal Office should first send demand letters to these city officials and employees. — (FREEMAN)