The Commission on Audit (COA) has affirmed its decision ordering officials and employees of the Metropolitan Water Works and Sewerage System (MWSS) to return to the government P212.63 million in unauthorized allowance benefits they received in 2008 and earlier years.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In an en banc decision, the COA-Commission Proper (COA-CP) denied a motion filed by former MWSS board member Alfredo C. Reyes seeking a reconsideration of the Notice of Disallowances the audit body issued in 2013.
“The CP denied the Motion for Reconsideration for being filed out of time and for failure to raise new matters and show sufficient ground to justify a reconsideration of the assailed decision,” the COA-CP said.
Reyes had sought a reconsideration of COA Decision NO. 2018-291 released on March 15, 2018 that affirmed the recommendation of the COA Fraud Audit Office for the issuance of special audit notices of disallowances on the benefits and allowances received by MWSS officials and employees.
Ordered to return to the government a total P212,635,488.16 were the following: Board of Trustees members; all employees, including contractuals and consultants, who received the financial perks and benefits in 2008 and earlier years despite the absence of presidential approval.
Also ordered to return their share of the unauthorized allowances and benefits were lawyers of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel and “other government employees assigned thereto.”
It was recalled that in 2014, COA ordered MWSS personnel and officials to return to the government some P319.85 million representing bonuses, allowances, and other financial perks they allegedly illegally received from 2005 to 2013.
It is not known, however, whether the refund stated in the 2014 COA decision also covers the amount being demanded from MWSS personnel and officials in the COA-CP decision.
The 2014 notices of disallowances was issued by COA in the wake of protests of various consumer groups against the alleged illegal imposition of water rate hikes by the Manila Water Corporation and the Maynilad Water Services Inc. which services Metro Manila and adjoining localities.
During that time, over P3 billion have allegedly been collected to finance water supply improvement projects that were never implemented.
In its 2014 ruling, COA disclosed that the biggest expenditure item in the disallowance list was a P60.48 million “various allowances and benefits” paid for 2005 to 2008 covered by a notice of disallowance (ND) dated March 15, 2012.
Other expenditure items that the MWSS needs to return are the following:
-P39.56 million performance incentive/productivity incentive/efficiency incentive bonuses P15.6 million welfare fund
-P12.56 million excess Christmas bonuses
-P11.79 million in anniversary bonuses
-P9.73 million grocery incentive/ PX mart allowances
-P2.72 million rice allowance
-P8.67 million family day allowances
-P6.57 million year-end financial assistance
-P5.82 mid-year financial assistance
-P5.47 million GOCC incentive for 2008
The audit report also listed excesses in representation and transportation allowances, cost of living allowances, scholarship allowances, education assistance, extra ordinary expense reimbursements, amelioration allowances, calamity economic allowances, and the procurement of private health insurance plans.