Super-pandays in Tigbauan?
No show for town execs, laborers in labor scam probe
Iloilo -- Padded payrolls. Suspicious signatures. Questionable documents. 'Ghost' project. Super-pandays (laborers).
Such and more marked yesterday's (Thursday) day one of the official fact-finding investigation conducted by the Tigbauan Municipal Council convening as a Committee of the Whole. With members of the Committee in full force headed by Councilor Suzette Alquisada, Committee chair, the investigation was marked though by the absence of the "important" characters.
The reason? Office Memorandum 007 issued Wednesday by Mayor Myrna Torres which carried a clear warning - violate said order and a reprimand awaits. So instead of seeing the 'lead stars' in the now controversial laborers and town officials, barangay captains and locals occupied the seats with a number of spots left vacant.
The investigation as pushed by the municipal council moved to ascertain the facts surrounding the adverse findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) in three of the town's infrastructure works. Questions were raised and doubts clearly expressed by government auditors who pointed out the possibility of not only a double payroll but triple. Worse, at least eleven laborers are believed to be fictitious on top additional concerns now that one project as duly certified to have been implemented, is not even existing.
Councilor Orvillo Tangente in an interview told The News Today, some names may sound familiar yet in his stint as president of the Liga ng mga Barangay and years of stay in Tigbauan, the laborers as identified in the payrolls are not personally known to him.
Councilor Romeo Ledesma for his part, opened the probe by telling the crowd present, "we are not here for a witch-hunt" as he went on to make a breakdown of the irregularities as reported by the COA. Councilor Jose Donel Trasporto, Sangguniang Kabataan president for his part decried the absence of the invited resource persons as he went on to read the mayor's order prohibiting the attendance of at least six town officials and employees.
It was not immediately clear what happens next yet as Councilor Tangente shared, the Committee may still give the invited resource persons another chance to grace their invitation.
Those subjected to the mayor's "don't go or else" office order were Pacita Ledesma, Municipal Budget Officer, Manuel Tabalada Jr., Municipal Treasurer, Salvacion Trayfalgar, Management Audit Analyst I, Engineer Juanito Tavarra, Municipal Engineer, Luz Tronco, Human Resource Management Officer IV and Liberty Triste, utility foreman.
"You are hereby instructed not to attend the fact-finding investigation relative to the AOM No. 2006-19," excerpts of the memorandum stated while adding that such is "in respect to the Local Chief Executive." Regardless of position, Mayor Torres ordered, all invitations and requests of the Sanggunian Bayan or any other offices must be coursed through her and duly approved by her.
The investigation continued minus the invited resource persons with the proceedings heard over in-house loud speakers. Venue was the hall just a few steps and within direct sighting of the mayor's office.
"Do we have super-pandays here who can work three jobs all at the same time and continuously too even on Saturdays and Sundays?," Councilor Alquisada asked that got some quick laughs from those present.
Yesterday's probe also saw the support of Councilors Roel Jarina and Pedro Rapadas.
The COA in handing out its observation called for the investigation of what it said were anomalies behind the transactions and to examine the irregularities in the preparation and payment of labor payrolls.
It also added, "The Local Chief executive should file appropriate charges against the erring officials and employees."
"The law clearly pinpoints the persons liable for illegal transactions. Officials or employees who have a hand in the preparation, approval and payment of these labor payrolls are also directly and personally liable for such illegal expenditures," excerpts of the COA memorandum went. "More so, those persons who have taken part of receiving payment are also jointly and severally liable to the government. One of the consequences of illegal expenditures is dismissal from service."