COA affirms P8M disallowance vs election officials over 'fictitious trips'

Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) has affirmed the notice of disallowance issued against Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials who made travel expense claims in Tawi-Tawi in 2008 and 2009 amounting to P8.265 million.In a decision dated February 18, 2021, the COA en banc affirmed the decision of its National Government Sector - Cluster 3 dated August 5, 2014 which was the subject of the petition for review filed by Comelec Finance Services Director Eduardo Mejos. The appellants who were held liable in the 2011 decision were Executive Director Jose Tolentino, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Regional Director Ray Sumalipao, as well as officers Bartolme Sinocruz, Jr., Estrella De Mesa, Eduardo Mejos, Minda Zita Jongko, Thelma Sales, Norma Galutera, Apolonio Escat, Jr., Abu Talipan, Joselito Blas, Elizabeth Balbacal, Gideon De Guzman, Aida Fernandez, and Emma Oltiveros.The payees who were also held liable were identified as election officers Sabdani Bakri, Jacob Malik Usad, Julieta Santos, and election assistant Rudy Datu Verdeprado.The expenses made were in connection to the continuing registration of voters for the 2010 elections. The appeal of the Comelec officials stressed that the documents related to the travel expenses were forged and that they did not have any participation in the consummation of the fraudulent transactions.The COA however said that the determination whether the documents were forged or not is beyond its jurisdiction as its function is limited to the prevention and disallowance of irregular, extravagant or unconscionable use of government funds.“While the transactions were consummated through forgery, this did not erase the fact that fraudulent transactions happened within the Comelec. This showed weak internal control system that led to the illegal disbursement of public funds,” the COA en banc said in the decision signed by Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo and Commissioner Roland Pondoc. The COA decision noted that the travels of Usad, Santos, Verdeprado, and Bakri were "fictitious and fraudulent" due to overlapping period of travel, duplication or double payment and even instances of triple claim of travelling expenses. The travel expenses ranged from P39,000 to P182,600 with a total of 54 claims. The Commission en banc also stated in its decision that Mejos should not be held liable as there was no dispute that he did not sign nor counter-sign any of the supporting documents.The en banc said the documents pertaining to the transactions did not pass through the office of Mejos because the authority was delegated to his assistant director.“Thus, the loss of government funds cannot be attributed to him,” the COA decision said.

The expenses made were in connection to the continuing registration of voters for the 2010 elections. The appeal of the Comelec officials stressed that the documents related to the travel expenses were forged and that they did not have any participation in the consummation of the fraudulent transactions.The COA however said that the determination whether the documents were forged or not is beyond its jurisdiction as its function is limited to the prevention and disallowance of irregular, extravagant or unconscionable use of government funds.“While the transactions were consummated through forgery, this did not erase the fact that fraudulent transactions happened within the Comelec. This showed weak internal control system that led to the illegal disbursement of public funds,” the COA en banc said in the decision signed by Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo and Commissioner Roland Pondoc. The COA decision noted that the travels of Usad, Santos, Verdeprado, and Bakri were "fictitious and fraudulent" due to overlapping period of travel, duplication or double payment and even instances of triple claim of travelling expenses. The travel expenses ranged from P39,000 to P182,600 with a total of 54 claims. The Commission en banc also stated in its decision that Mejos should not be held liable as there was no dispute that he did not sign nor counter-sign any of the supporting documents.The en banc said the documents pertaining to the transactions did not pass through the office of Mejos because the authority was delegated to his assistant director.“Thus, the loss of government funds cannot be attributed to him,” the COA decision said.

The appellants who were held liable in the 2011 decision were Executive Director Jose Tolentino, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Regional Director Ray Sumalipao, as well as officers Bartolme Sinocruz, Jr., Estrella De Mesa, Eduardo Mejos, Minda Zita Jongko, Thelma Sales, Norma Galutera, Apolonio Escat, Jr., Abu Talipan, Joselito Blas, Elizabeth Balbacal, Gideon De Guzman, Aida Fernandez, and Emma Oltiveros.The payees who were also held liable were identified as election officers Sabdani Bakri, Jacob Malik Usad, Julieta Santos, and election assistant Rudy Datu Verdeprado.

MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) has affirmed the notice of disallowance issued against Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials who made travel expense claims in Tawi-Tawi in 2008 and 2009 amounting to P8.265 million.In a decision dated February 18, 2021, the COA en banc affirmed the decision of its National Government Sector - Cluster 3 dated August 5, 2014 which was the subject of the petition for review filed by Comelec Finance Services Director Eduardo Mejos.

The travel expenses ranged from P39,000 to P182,600 with a total of 54 claims.

The travel expenses ranged from P39,000 to P182,600 with a total of 54 claims.