The House Committee on Public Accounts is poised to tighten the noose on Mayor Teddy Tumang of Mexico, Pampanga by asking copies of his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) in connection with its inquiry into alleged anomalous transactions worth P149 million entered into by the mayor.
The committee also decided to summon four more officials who can shed light on the questionable deals made in 2018 and prior years under Tumang’s watch as town mayor.
During Wednesday’s second hearing on the issue, panel chairman Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano of party-list group Abang Lingkod said he would write the Office of the Ombudsman to request for certified copies of Tumang’s SALNs.
Paduano made the statement after several committee members sought the documents to determine if the Mexico mayor was financially capable of reimbursing the town of P43 million out of the P89 million in transactions disallowed by the Commission on Audit (COA) in 2018.
The amount originally disallowed by the COA and ordered returned to the town was P149 million. After appeals by Tumang and other town officials, the COA reduced it to P89 million.
The committee learned from the town’s treasurer that the mayor reimbursed his municipality of almost P43 million in cash in July, August and December 2018.
A certain Dr. Roberto Tugade, a supplier, returned more than P1 million.
The attendance of four more municipal officials in the next hearing was sought by Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel.
Summoned by the committee were former accountant Perlita Lagman, and Dr. Tugade and fellow suppliers Rizalito Dizon and Eduardo Santiago.
Tugade, Diazon and Santiago have had transactions with Tumang in the past, according to the COA.
Pimentel said inviting these individuals would “enlighten the panel on the veracity of the report”.
Tumang attended the Wednesday hearing after failing to show up in last week.
“One of the findings of the audit investigation, item number six, 164 disbursement vouchers totaling P26,719,162.53 were processed and paid without the necessary approval by the municipal accountant in violation of Section 4 of PD (Presidential Decree) 1445 and Section 344 of the Local Government Code,” Pimentel said.
“In spite of the fact of the non-signature of the municipal accountant, the municipality of Mexico proceeded with the issuance of a check. This is a clear violation of accounting rules and regulations,” he said.
“Kaya siguro hindi pumirma because something was wrong with the voucher,” Pimentel said.
The Paduano committee later learned that Lagman has been dismissed from her post. She was municipal accountant from 2007 to 2010.
Meanwhile, Dizon, Tugade, and Santiago were all suppliers in separate transactions entered into by Tumang since 2007, as per COA records. Pimentel found something amiss in each of these transactions.
According to the COA report, Dizon had described himself as the “kababata and kapitbahay” of Mayor Tumang, something that the latter denied in the hearing. Dizon had supplied the town with a boom truck.
Tumang also denied being “close” to Tugade, a supplier of assorted medicines and contraceptives, despite the latter claiming in an affidavit in 2012 that the mayor had borrowed over P13.5 million from him.
Pimentel quoted Tugade as saying Tumang denied his collection bids in January 2009.
Tumang also denied having transactions with Santiago, but Pimentel disclosed that the COA reports on the transaction with Santiago stated that sales invoices and a letter of authority indicated Tumang’s telephone numbers.
Tumang denied however, being a business partner of Santiago.
Ernesto Punzalan, who filed the complaint affidavit against Tumang before the House panel, claimed that there were alleged anomalies in the processing of contracts such as the loan Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) amounting to P950 million.
For his defense, Tumang said it was unfortunate that other towns in Pampanga were permitted on their plans for a new city hall unlike Mexico which he claimed was affected by politics.
“This is not different from the dreams of other cities and municipalities like Angeles, San Fernando, Mabalacat, and Floridablanca. Mabalacat purchased a 2.5-hectare land worth P625 million for their new city hall. But unfortunately, it is only Mexico’s project which was opposed, like what has happened in this Congress,” Tumang said.
“It is clearly politics, as we have already done an extensive study and research before embarking on these projects.”
Tumang dared Punzalan, who lost in Mexico’s mayoral race in the last election, to accept defeat.
“And to Mr. Ernesto Punzalan, please accept your loss, the people voted for me and you know who won. I was ahead by 48,550 votes, and the Regional Trial Court, the Ombudsman, and Sandiganbayan have decided. Let’s accept and respect the results,” Tumang said.
