CSC charges city treasurer

CEBU, Philippines - The Civil Service Commission has charged Cebu City Treasu-rer Diwa Cuevas over the eight administrative complaints filed by former mayor Tomas Osmeña.

“Upon preliminary investigation, this office finds a prima facie case against Diwa Cuevas, OIC-City Treasurer of the City Government of Cebu, for neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service,” said CSC Director IV Karin Litz Zerna in a resolution promulgated last November 25, 2015.

As per COA finding, several disbursements of the city were unrecorded as of December 31, 2012, resulting to the understatement of several expenses and overstatement of cash in banks, the order read. Cuevas was head of the city’s Accounting Department in 2012.

“Cuevas failed to comply with the COA requirements on the submission of status reports on the city’s compliance with adverse findings in the 2012 Annual Audit Report,” the order read.

Zerna said Cuevas should have been responsible for both the accounting and internal audit services of the city to ensure fiscal control.

 “Cuevas failed to comply with the legal mandate expected of her being the head of the Accounting Office. She had circumven-ted the required duties, obligations, and conduct expected of a public officer; contrary to Civil Service law and rules,” the order further read.

Cuevas said she received the order last Thursday.

The CSC directed the city treasurer to answer the order together with other pieces of evidence and affidavit of witnesses.

In another order dated December 18, 2015, Zerna asked Cuevas to indicate if she wants a formal investigation.

Cuevas said she will let her lawyers handle the matter.

On December 31, 2012, COA conducted a financial and compliance audit on the accounts and operations of the city government.

In its executive summary, COA said it rendered an adverse opinion due to the “irregularity, insufficiency, and omissions on the various records on the transactions” of the city including the Accounting Department.

Zerna said it was found out that balances of the cash in vault accounts and cash in banks were not reliable due to the negative balances that “adversely affected the fairness of the presentation of the financial statements.”

Sought for comment, Osmeña said the upgrading of his complaints against the city treasurer is “just the beginning.” (FREEMAN)