COA to Agusan gov’t: Return unused PDAF

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Audit (COA) has urged the provincial government of Agusan del Sur to return unused pork barrel funds to the national treasury.     

In a report released recently, state auditors said the province has P18,451,963.70 in unutilized Priority Development Assistance Funds or pork barrel given by various lawmakers.

COA said this is in violation of a Supreme Court (SC) ruling that remaining PDAF funds should be remitted to the Bureau of the Treasury starting in 2013.

“Notwithstanding the SC decision… funds remained in the agency books until the end of 2015,” the audit team reported.

“Interview with the personnel in charge of the provincial accounting office disclosed that they were unaware of the decision,” it added.

‘Answer raps’

Meanwhile, the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon has ordered Aurora Gov. Gerardo Noveras to answer the latest complaint filed against him.

Noveras was charged with abuse of authority, grave misconduct and irregularity for allowing the use of dump trucks owned by his trucking company in a government project in Dinalungan town.

Julio Liis of the Benguet-based Remnant Builders (RB) was included in the charge sheet.

In a five-page complaint, Rodante Tolentino and Amado Elson Egargue, provincial engineer and head of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council respectively, said Noveras awarded to RB a project in Barangay Nipoo involving the hauling of gravel and sand.

Noveras  and 10 other provincial government officials were earlier charged in connection with  the alleged questionable purchase of a pay loader  worth P8. 5 million.