MANILA, April 12 (PNA) — Malacanang is looking into ways to reduce the P437 million in cash advances made by the Office of the President but have not been liquidated, Presidential Communications and Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said on Sunday.
“Itinanong po natin ito sa Office of the President, at ayon po sa Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Finance and Administration, buong taon pong tinutukoy at tinututukan ito ng ating pamahalaan para mapababa ang halaga na nabanggit — ang P437 million. Nagpadala po ng mga letters of demand sa mga kinauukulang public officials na mayroong mga unliquidated cash advances. Marami na rin po ang tumugon dito at nag-comply na doon sa requirements of liquidation,” Secretary Coloma said during an interview with radio station dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
He was commenting on reports that Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has sought an inquiry into the Commission on Audit (COA) report that the Office of the President has accumulated some P437 million in unliquidated cash advances as of December 2013.
The COA report noted that of the total P437 million, P425.6 million were supposedly amassed during the previous administration, while the present administration accounted for P11.3 million.
“Mayroon din pong portion nitong pinag-uusapan natin na na-write off na dahil po sa matagal nang yumao ang mga tinutukoy, at mayroon ding mga inihahandang collection cases ang ating pamahalaan para panagutin ang mga hindi tumutugon sa mga letters of demand,” Coloma explained, emphasizing that only 2.5 percent of the total amount, or P11.3 million, pertains to the present administration.
“Ganunpaman, sinisikap pa ring makolekta ang pinakamalaking bahagi nito, at maresolba ang lahat ng mga unliquidated cash advances para tumalima po tayo sa batas hinggil dito,” he added. (PNA)