Ex-Mayor Estrada claims he left P10.3-B in Manila coffers

Former Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Monday claimed that there was more than P10.3 billion in the city's coffers when he left office, more than enough to settle the city's P9 billion in payables.

However, a Commission on Audit (COA) report found that Manila had only P5,360,869,280 in cash available, P4.3 billion short of the money necessary to settle Manila's debts.

Estrada was perplexed by the COA assessment, given that each expenditure for infrastructure and supplies had an accompanying certificate on the availability of funds or cash.

Furthermore, Manila's city accountant would review accompanying documents each time the city made a payment, and, as far as Estrada knew, his administration had conformed to most of the COA's earlier audit observations

To clear up any confusion, Estrada urged the city accountant  to release a report on the city's true fiscal situation.

He also called on all his former department heads to cooperate with both the COA and Manila's new city government. — DVM, GMA News