Samar cash advances flagged
THE COMMISSION on Audit (CoA) has flagged Samar province for unliquidated cash advances worth P16 million at end-2023.
State auditors also said about P6 million of the sum was given to fund officers who have since resigned, retired or died, exposing state funds to misuse.
“Cash advances totaling ₱16.02 million remained outstanding at yearend due to nonobservance of the guidelines on the grant, utilization and liquidation of cash advances,” according to the audit report.
Included were doubtful accounts worth ₱6 million, “as the accountable officers therefore were already deceased, retired, resigned or separated from service, thus exposing the funds to misappropriation.”
The provincial government did not immediately reply to a Facebook Messenger chat seeking comment. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio