By Leilanie Adriano/PNA
LAOAG CITY — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan in Ilocos Norte is requesting the Commission on Audit (COA) to wrap-up its special investigation on the missing PHP90-million funds of the Laoag City government which was discovered almost three years ago.
Up to this date, lawyer Vicentito Lazo, a Laoag-based provincial board member, on Thursday said the COA has not yet officially issued any result of its investigation “which creates an impression that it is alright to steal taxpayer’s money since the so-called thieves in government will never be held answerable for their thievery.”
On the part of the provincial lawmakers, Lazo said the COA must expedite its ongoing special investigation and let the responsible officials pay for it.
On Monday, the Ilocos Norte board unanimously approved draft Provincial Resolution 2019-03-325 asking concerned authorities of COA to provide results of the special audit.
A copy of said resolution was furnished to COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo, commissioners Jose Pavia and Roland Pondoc of Region 1 COA office, and the COA unit auditor of Laoag City.
Records of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan shows that a related Provincial Resolution 058-2017 was received by COA on August 31, 2017 but up to now, the latter has yet to come out with the result of its investigation.
It could be recalled that in June 2016, then City Treasurer Elena Asuncion went missing along with the loss of over PHP85 million from various bank accounts being maintained by the city government.
Initial result of investigation showed that the irregularity was traced back to 2007 during the term of then mayor Michael Fariñas.
The irregularity was apparently carried on and left undetected by the local finance committee until city officials discovered that time deposits and savings accounts, opened under the Laoag City government as recorded in the treasury’s financial reports, were non-existent when verified with the Laoag government’s depository banks.
