Group calls probe vs CPADAO chief

CEBU, Philippines — A group of “Concerned Councilors of Cebu” is questioning before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas the integrity of Carmen Remedios Durano-Meca to lead the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office.

The group called the appointment of Meca as anti-drug czar as a “comedy of error.”

“With a questionable background and shady dealings, how could she lead an agency dealing with drugs which feeds on corruption as the means to evade crackdown. This puts in question the entire operation of the province’s anti-drug efforts,” read the letter dated April 12, 2018.

The letter addressed to Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente, sought the intervention of the anti-graft office to dig deeper into the alleged muddling of financial integrity of the Philippine Councilors’ League (PCL) Cooperative during Meca’s term as chairperson.

“We want answers and we want to know how PCL Coop spent our money,” read the letter.

Meca already got a copy of the letter but she refused to comment.

The PCL Cooperative Board earlier blamed Meca for the voluntary dissolution of the coop because of her alleged failure to render financial report after her term expired.

Meca served as coop chairperson from 2010 to 2016 when she was also the PCL-Cebu Chapter president. Meca said that before the turnover, she already submitted all “reports needed including the financial report.”

In fact, incumbent PCL-Cebu Chapter president and ex-officio Provincial Board Member Earl Tidy Oyas witnessed the turnover.

However, the PCL Coop Board passed a resolution on December 5, 2017 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, informing Meca that the documents she turned over to PCL National Chairman Danny Dayanghirang “is not an acceptable turnover of financial records as the same did not include the audited financial report.”

On June 13, 2017, the PCL Coop Board passed another resolution giving Meca until June 30, 2017 to render an accounting of the organization’s fund and turn over the financial reports.

On July 6, 2017, the PCL Coop Board decided to hold its board meeting in Cebu City supposedly to receive the said reports from Meca, but the latter again failed. She instead requested for additional period up to August 15, 2017 to comply.

In order to prevent any further financial transactions by the PCL Cooperative until all the reports and records have been put in order, the PCL Coop Board passed a resolution “voluntarily dissolving the Cooperative which shall be presented to and recommended for the final action of the PCL Coop General Assembly.”

The board, however, recalled the resolution on November 17, 2017 to retain its legal personality to take legal action against Meca.

According to the group of concerned councilors, the failure of Meca to turn over the financial reports speaks volume of her integrity and the office that she represents.

“It is incumbent upon her to uphold with the highest esteem transparency and accountability,” the letter reads further. (FREEMAN)