Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes may be held liable by the Commission on Audit (COA) for signing the payroll which authorizes the release of salaries of 11 City Hall employees who were ordered to refund P29.4 million in disallowance.
Regional Director Rene Burdeos of the Department of Interior and Local Government in Central Visayas (DILG-7) said the mayor was ordered by COA to withhold the salaries of the employees as well as former Mayor-turned-Councilor Socrates Fernandez.
But Delos Reyes said it should be City Treasurer Emma Macuto and City Accountant Viluzminda Villarante who should be held liable and not him since they were in charge of releasing the individual salaries.
“It’s their responsibility. I signed the payroll by department. It’s their responsibility to advise the bank since they are being paid through ATM to make the necessary deductions. If I won’t sign the payroll, everybody would not receive their salary,” he said.
Department heads covered by the COA refund order received half of their salaries for the month of February last Monday except for Councilor Fernandez.
Fernandez is serving a suspension for the misuse of a city government vehicle by his adopted son Joavan Fernandez.
Asst. City Engineer Gamaliel Vicente Jr. and Planning Officer Ariel Araw-araw confirmed receiving their salaries last Monday.
Delos Reyes said he will write COA to report the refusal of Macuto and Villarante to enforce the refund order. Both officials elevated their case to the Supreme Court.
COA earlier found the P29.4 million purchase of computers and liquid fertilizers in 2005 as overpriced and directed delos Reyes to demand refund from former mayors Eduardo Gullas and Fernandez.