Solon brings up P26.7-M voucher controversy vs Pampanga town mayor
Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel (Facebook)
Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel wants to get to the bottom of Mexico, Pampanga Mayor Teddy Tumang's alleged unauthorized usage of disbursement vouchers worth over P26.7 million beginning in 2007. And the possible key is the municipal accountant at that time, a certain Perlita Lagman, it was learned during a House Committee on Public Accounts hearing Wednesday, Aug. 2. Tumang is currently the subject of a motu proprio investigation by the public accounts panel in connection with alleged irregularities in the procurement process and unlawful contracts entered into by the Municipality of Mexico. In Wednesday's hearing, Pimentel brought up a Commission on Audit (COA) report detailing the issue of the disbursement vouchers "One of the findings of the audit investigation, item number six, 164 disbursement vouchers totaling P26,719,162.53 were processed and paid without the necessary approval by the municipal accountant in violation of Section 4 of PD (Presidential Decree) 1445 and Section 344 of the local government code," Pimentel said. "In spite of the fact of the non-signature of the municipal accountant, the municipality of Mexico proceeded with the issuance of check. This is a clear violation [of whatever] accounting rules and regulations...of the COA," noted the assistant minority leader of the Commission on Appointments. "Kaya siguro hindi pumirma (She probably didn't sign) because something was wrong the voucher," Pimentel pointed out. Shortly after saying this, it was bared by the current Mexico municipal treasurer that Lagman, who served as municipal accountant from 2007 to 2010, ended up getting dismissed. Tumang attended the Wednesday hearing after getting subpoenaed by an irked Pimentel for no-showing the initial hearing last July 26. The Mindanao solon moved to summon Lagman for the next hearing in order to shed light on the vouchers. This was promptly carried by the committee chairman, ABANG LINGKOD Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano. The panel also agreed to summon three suppliers that Tumang hadcpreviously dealt with according to COA. These are Rizalito Dizon, Dr. Roberto Tugade, and Eduardo Santiago. Pimentel, in a Viber message after the four-hour hearing, said, "Mayor Tumang should be made to answer these anomalies because he spent taxpayers' money."