Ex-mayor gets jail term over cash advance

MANILA, Philippines - For failing to account for a cash advance of a measly P20,000 eight years ago, a former town mayor of Misamis Oriental has been sentenced to a maximum of 365 days in jail.

Former mayor Edgar Santos of Balingoan town was also ordered to pay the same amount to the municipal government in addition to a fine of P6,000.

The Sandiganbayan found him guilty of violating Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code, which punishes failure of accountable officers to liquidate expenses such as cash advances.

Associate Justices Samuel Martires and Alex Quiroz both concurred with the decision penned by the anti-graft court’s Third Division chairman, Justice Francisco Villaruz Jr.

Records show that Santos was granted a cash advance of P20,000 as mayor of Balingoan for his travel expenses to Manila sometime in 2003.

However, he allegedly refused to render the account in violation of Commission on Audit Circular No. 97-002, which requires “that all cash advances used for local official travels must be duly liquidated within 30 days after return to permanent official station.”

Despite demands, Santos supposedly failed to account for the cash advance within two months from Sept. 18, 2003, during which he was required by law to do so.

Records show that the liquidation statement he submitted supposedly for the Aug. 18, 2003 cash advance was for a different cash advance amounting to P50,000, as reflected in the disbursement voucher.