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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider COA junks, sans prejudice to refilling, Astoria Hotels' money claim vs CHED

COA junks, sans prejudice to refilling, Astoria Hotels' money claim vs CHED

Published Oct 31, 2023 01:58 am

The Commission on Audit (COA) has dismissed, without prejudice to refilling, the P318,500 money claim of Astoria Hotels and Resorts against the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for food served and accommodations rendered in 2019.

In dismissing the claim, COA said that the person who filed the claim lacked the authority and the personality to institute the claim against CHED.

While the claim was denied, COA ruled that the denial was "without prejudice to its refiling by the duly authorized corporate representative of Astoria Hotels and Resorts."

It pointed out that despite the legitimate claim made by Astoria, it had to dismiss the claim because of lack of authority and personality of Finance Manager Alvin Chris L.Dela Cruz to initiate the petition for Astoria "as he is not a valid representative of the corporation."

Dela Cruz filed the claim against CHED before COA for food served and accommodation rendered during CHED's International Affairs Staff's (IAS) networking session/year-end assessment activities from Dec. 4 to 6, 2019.

On Nov. 29, 2019, the CHED's bids and awards committee awarded the contract to Millenium Properties and Brokerage Incorporated, under the business name of Astoria, and signed a Letter of Agreement (LOA) on Dec. 2, 2010.

Issues arose when Education Program Specialist II Corazon Nualda, who was assigned in preparing disbursement vouchers (DVs) and obligation requests for liquidation (ORLs), went on leave from Dec. 18, 2019 to Jan. 1, 2020, without proper turn-over of duties.

CHED assumed that Nualda accomplished the DVs and ORLs, so as a result, CHED was not able to meet the deadline for the financial documents and the payment for Astoria was not obligated.

In denying the claim, COA cited Section 36(1) of the Corporation Code of the Philippines, which states that an individual corporate officer cannot solely exercise any corporate power pertaining to the corporation without authority from the board of directors.

"Therefore, since the petition in this case was not signed by a duly authorized director or officer of Astoria, and no Board Resolution and Secretary's Certificate was attached by Mr. Dela Cruz, the signatory to the petition, to prove that he was authorized by Astoria to file this money claim, it cannot be considered as duly filed by Astoria," COA said in its decision.

Related Tags

Commission on Higher Education Commission on Audit (COA) Money claim Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commission on Audit
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