COA disallows ‘lechon’ expenses of Cebu

CEBU CITY — If City Hall officials, both past and present, have any weakness, it is their predilection for lechon (roasted pig) and of having the city government pay for it.

But the Commission on Audit (COA) is having none of it and has disallowed at least P300,000 in official expenditures for lechon.

The amount is part of the P35.2 million in total expenditures which state auditors disallowed from 1991 to 1996 alone, but which City Hall, until now, has failed to collect because many of the concerned officials are already out of service.

The Freeman obtained some records of disallowed lechon expenditures from 1994 to 1996, showing that some prominent people still owe City Hall for their disallowed expenses for lechon.

Among them are former Mayor Alvin Garcia, Vice Mayor Michael Rama and councilors Laurito Malinao, Ananias Quano, Eleno Abellana, Rico Rey Holganza, Ruben de la Cerna, Christopher Alix, Ronald Cuenco and Joy Augustus Young.

Also in the list, but who the accounting office said have already repaid the city for their disallowed lechon expenses, are Renato Osmeña, Rogelio Osmeña, Jessie Aznar and Fe Mantua Ruiz.

The disallowed expenses for lechon varied from a low of P5,000 to a high of P80,000 per person.

City council minority leader Firmo Dayao said those who still owe the city should be made to settle their obligations.

The records do not state the purposes for the lechon expenses, largely the factor that prompted state auditors to disallow them and insist that the city government be paid back the amounts.

State auditors said spending government funds for lechon may be allowed if properly justified, like during the city’s Charter Day celebration.

A consolidated statement shows that the city accounting office managed to collect only P227,271 of the P35,226,686 that state auditors had disallowed.

Aside from lechon purchases, the state auditors also disallowed the salary increases about 5,000 City Hall employees received in 1998. — Freeman News Service