Town's elected officials asks COA for disclosures

CEBU, Philippines – Elected officials of Compostela town are urging the Commission on Audit (COA) to make public the true state of the finances of the municipality what with the sustained vacuum at the town hall.

In a statement furnished The FREEMAN, proclaimed vice mayoralty winner Mary Antonette Dangoy also challenged the town treasurer Lorenzo Almodiel to open the mu-nicipality's books so the public would know how much money the town has.

She said that with elected officials still prevented from assuming office, the public's elected representatives are deprived of their duty to check the financial records of the town.

"The public has the right to see the records and it is the responsibility of government officials and agencies to open these records," Dangoy said.

"We have the responsibility to the people who elected us. They want to see the town's finances but COA and the municipal treasurer are preventing us from seeing the books."

Mayor Joel Quino, Vice Mayor Dangoy, and all of the town's eight councilors have been prevented by the Commission on Elections from assuming office pending the resolu-tion of the electoral protest filed by losing candidate, former mayor Richie Wagas.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Central Visayas director Pedro Noval assumed the post of the town's chief executive.

But some observers said that even if Noval functions as mayor, the delivery of basic services is affected.

Some businessmen have also set aside plans to expand business this year because of the political turmoil.

Councilor Tessa Cang said the town council has never seen financial and audit reports of the town since 2008.

"Kay nidepensa man na si Almodiel nga wala ma-bankrupt ang Compostela busa amo siyang gihagit nga ipakita ang mga papeles nga mopamatuod niana, sama sa ending bal-ance sa bangko. All we want is to know how much funds we still have left," Cang said.

Cang added that the town is in the state of bankruptcy because even basic services are not implemented.

"Wa man gani sila kabayad sa dakong utang sa kuryente mao ng naputlan ang mga streetlighting sa main highway ug sa mga barangay mao misaka ang gidaghanon sa mga gipangtulis sa lungsod; kining mga empleyado nga job order, wala na nila patrabahoa. Nalakip dinhi kadtong mga tighakot ug basura hinungdan karon nagtipun-og na lang; ang Municipal birthing center ug ang health centers wala nay ikahatag nga tambal," she said.

As he (Noval) is not an elected official, Cang said Noval does not see the urge to answer to the town's constituents - a matter only elected officials are compelled to do.

Cebu's fifth district representative Ramon "Red" Durano IV recently delivered a privilege speech at the House of Representatives last Monday lamenting the current state of the town.

He said the town is bankrupt and the situation is made worse by the absence of elected officials who could have had studied and remedied the situation.

Millions of legislative aids are also prevented from reaching the municipality because of the unique set up inside the town hall.

"Nalipay lang sad ko nga gisuportahan sa akong mga kaubanan sa kongreso ang panawagan nga imbestigahan sa Committee of Electoral Reforms, Committee on Good Gov-ernance ilabi na kang former senator (ug karon kongresista sa Muntinlupa) Rodolfo Biazon nga maoy nihimo og formal motion aron masugdan ang imbestigasyon,"Durano said.  (FREEMAN)