Capiz guv welcomes COA’s special audit

By Felipe V. Celino 

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — Governor Esteban Evan Contreras welcomed the call of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) for the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a Special Audit on the funds of the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH).

This was Contreras’ reaction to the proposal of the Committee on Appropriations chaired by Board Member Jonathan Besa to file a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman against Contreras, Provincial Administrator Edwin Monares and RMPH Chief of Hospital Dr. Edmarie Tormon for not cooperating with the SP.

The governor said the audit will properly investigate allegations of ghost employees in the hospital and alleged misuse of funds for medicines and supplies.

He said COA is the proper government agency that will conduct the audit, not the provincial board.

Contreras said politics is behind the provincial board’s opposition to the request for additional appropriations for RMPH.

Instead of giving the medical frontliners respect because of their work amid this pandemic, Contreras said the board members are oppressing the medical workers by delaying their salaries.

“Gina-ipit pa ang sweldo sang mga ini bangud sa kulang nga pondo nga gin aprubahan para sa ila nga sweldo”.

Besa has recommended to junk the request for additional funds for medicines and supplies of RMPH for the failure of the management to cooperate and attend the committee hearings.