1 month ago
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BATANGAS CITY — A crime watch has described as "unsatisfactory" the answers provided by the top two officials of Mataas na Kahoy town in Batangas during a recent congressional hearing on public accountability.
The People's Coalition Against Crime and Corruption Group (PCACCG), whose authorized representative attended the Congress committee hearing, said the explanations provided by Mataas na Kahoy Mayor Janet and husband Vice Mayor Jay Ilagan are hard to believe.
"The couple failed to answer many questions satisfactorily," said Alabata, who attended House Resolution 2102 committee hearing on public accounts chaired by Rep. Joseph Paduano.
The hearing was conducted over the alleged misuse of public funds and irregularities in the couple's operations in Mataas na Kahoy.
Alabata said that the Ilagans failed to implement projects in a span of four years, the reason why he said he filed complaints with the Ombudsman against the couple.
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"Projects supposedly up for implementations in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 were never carried out," averred Ala-bata.
"Mayor Ilagan herself admitted that only seven of their 11 projects were fully completed. Their explanations to the committee that their practices are also being done by other LGUs (local government units) are not acceptable al-so."
Mayor Ilagan and her husband told the committee that they are trying to address the discrepancies.
The mayor narrated to the committee the town's achievements and their compliance in disaster preparedness and Gawad Kalasag while Vice Mayor Jay Manalo Ilagan claimed that they have been diligent in their governance and did not commit any anomaly in their leadership.
Alabata filed the complaints of PCACCG against the Ilagans last December at the Office of the Ombudsman, accus-ing them of alleged violation of anti-graft and corrupt practices act, gross inexcusable negligence, grave misconduct and violation in their government procurement reform act.
In his complaint at the Ombudsman, Alabata cited various irregularities in the town's operations, including the cash deficit the town incurred in 2021 amounting to more than P5 million, which he said affected the full settlement of the municipality's current liabilities totaling P47,141,799.11.
The complainant also stated the respondents' disbursements totaling P7,771,859.43 in response to the coronavirus disease contained deficiencies and inconsistencies.
The PCACCG also accused Mayor Ilagan of allegedly erred in purchasing and acquiring a lot due to lack of certifica-tion from the Department of Agriculture since the land it acquired was an agricultural one before its conversation.
Even the municipal assessor, Alabata said, admitted the lack of the required certifications before the acquisition of land.
According to Alabata, Representative Paduano admonished the Commission on Audit (COA) for non-conduct of audit of the Mataas na Kahoy council even amid the resolution issued by the Congress.
He also said that even Rep. Romeo Momo also recommended to COA to immediately hold a special fraud audit to set up the investigation since there was already a case filed.
Alabata had also been invited in the congressional hearing by the Committee on Public Accounts of the House of Representatives in aid of legislation to uphold transparency and accountability, and to assess if amendments to procurement and auditing laws are needed to prevent future abuses.
