Audit of P1 million Oyster fund ordered

Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco directed the five district directors yesterday to submit a report on how they disbursed the P1 million released to them intended for President Arroyo’s project for out-of-school youths.

Velasco issued his directive amid reports that ranking officials of the Eastern Police District (EPD) are up in arms against their director, Chief Superintendent Rolando Sacramento because of his alleged failure to declare the money up to this time.

"I’m ordering the five district directors to come up with a report on how they disbursed the money, including photographs of their beneficiaries," Velasco told The STAR in an interview.

First Gentleman Mike Arroyo handed a P1 million check to each of the five district directors during the awarding ceremony of the 1st Gentleman’s Cup golf tournament at the Wak-Wack Golf and Country Club last July 15. Under the agreement, the five police districts are required to submit before the Aug. 12 deadline post implementation and utilization reports, including photographs of their out-of-school youth beneficiaries.

Velasco was prevented from submitting his report to President Arroyo because Sacramento has yet to account for the money. The ranking EPD officials are wondering why Sacramento failed to come up with programs for the out-of-school youths and had been silent on the P1 million funds.

Under President Arroyo’s Out-of-School Youth Servicing Towards Economic Recovery (Oyster) project, the beneficiaries would spend at least 20 days in classrooms and 25 days on-the-job training before given a diploma. The project aims to lessen crimes involving minors since they would be made busy in their schooling instead of seeking thrills in the streets, Velasco said.

Oyster graduates will be given top priorities in landing jobs because no less than the First Gentleman would make proper recommendations to business groups.

When reached for comment, Sacramento claimed he had no intentions of pocketing the money. He said he already directed Superintendent Gilbert Cruz, the EPD police community relations chief to prepare some 500 beneficiaries of the Oyster project in Pasig City and Mandaluyong City. "Better late than never," he said.

Velasco did not give any deadline for the five district directors to submit their Oyster reports. But he warned Sacramento of relief should he fail to come up with a satisfactory explanation on the delay of his disbursement of the money.