Mayor Suan clarifies: COA-flagged transactions done under previous admin
Cordova Mayor Cesar “Didoy” Suan
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Cordova Mayor Cesar “Didoy” Suan clarified that he was not yet the mayor of the town when the transactions that were disallowed by the Commission on Audit (COA) happened.
In a Statement of Audit Suspensions, Disallowances, and Charges (SASDC) issued by COA to Suan, dated July 3, 2023, the agency informed the mayor regarding the total audit suspensions, disallowances, and charges found in the audit of various transactions of the town that has already reached P20,908,387.69, as of June 30, 2023.
Mayor Suan clarified that these transactions occurred from 2019-2021, while he was elected as mayor only in 2022.
The amount includes the P4.5 million worth of lights and sound system purchased by the town in 2016.
Suan said that the light and sound system was initially donated to the town during the 2016 election by a Korean Associaton. However, when then-Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho won, she insisted that the town purchase them.
“Kung makahinumdum ang tanan, 2016 man seguro to nga nangampanya mi sa atong sports complex, unya kuyog mi, and they said kaning mga lights and sound system nga naa diri karon, hinatag ni sa mga Koryano and this will be given to Cordova for free. Equivalent to P4.5 million,” Mayor Suan said.
Suan added that Vice-mayor Victor “Boyet” Tago even opposed purchasing them.
Vicente Sumalinog Jr., the municipal accountant, also appealed to the former mayor to help him to settle this disallowance.
“Manghinaot ko ang kanhi administrasyon tabangan ko ug bayad atong P4.5 million nga sa dili madugay maningil na ang COA,” Sumalinog said.
The remaining unliquidated amount was from the delayed submission of vouchers.
Due to this, Mayor Suan ordered Sumalinog to comply with all the requirements needed and submit it to COA immediately.
Cho, in a statement on her Facebook page, has urged Suan to take immediate action and prioritize the resolution of the long-overdue matter.
She added that the municipality must demonstrate transparency and accountability in its financial reporting.
“I trust in the leadership of the current administration to address this issue promptly, ensuring the completion of the financial statement for the benefit of our community. Together, let us uphold the highest standards of governance and fiscal responsibility in Cordova,” Cho said.
She revealed that during the turnover ceremony on June 29, 2022, she ensured that all necessary documents were properly handed over to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the new mayor.
Cho said that throughout her six-year term, she diligently complied with COA’s requirements during annual audits to prevent delays in submitting financial statements to COA.
Despite the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020 and Typhoon Odette in December 2021, Cho said that they strived to meet deadlines.
She said that the Municipality of Cordova even received recognition from the DILG for its commitment to good local governance and for passing the Good Financial Housekeeping standards.
Mayor Suan defeated Cho in one of the biggest election upsets last year. /rcg
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