Estrada failed to settle P141-M in transactions – Manila Mayor's Office

Former Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada was able to settle P264 million worth of transactions issued with notice of suspension by the Commission on Audit (COA) before he stepped down from office, but failed to account for P141 million worth of other transactions.

According to a Statement of Audit Suspensions, Disallowances and Charges released by the office of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Tuesday, the city had accumulated P141 million in unsettled transactions as of June 30, 2019.

The COA’s annual audit report on Manila had initially found P405 million worth of unaccounted for transactions as of December 30, 2018.

The P141 million in unsettled transactions broke down to P42,538,364 million worth of transactions which were issued notice of suspension by COA; P67,165,880 million worth of transactions which were issued notices of disallowance by state auditors; and P31,317,076 million in transactions which were issued notices of charges by COA.

In COA’s annual report, state auditors said that only P6.9 million of the P67 million worth of transactions were issued notices of disallowance in 2019, since the remaining P60 million were unsettled transactions from 2017.

Based on state auditors’ findings, the P6.9 million was for the payment of a steam boiler acquired by the city for use of the Veterinary Inspection Board located at Vitas, Tondo.

“The inadequate initiative on the part of the City officials concerned to take appropriate action and employ necessary remedies allowed under existing rules and regulations resulted in the continued non-settlement of transactions suspended, disallowed and charged, most particularly those pertaining to prior years,” COA said.

“We recommended that [Manila City] Management enforce the settlement of all audit suspensions, disallowances and charges in compliance with the Rules and Regulations in the Settlement of Accounts as provided for under COA Circular No. 2009-006,” COA added.

Estrada's second term as Manila Mayor ended last June 30, 2019. — DVM, GMA News