Bacolod City Accountant Ed Ravena yesterday said letters have already been sent to employees with unsettled cash advances of P50,000 and above asking them to settle their accounts with the city government.

If they fail to settle their cash advances, the Commission on Audit has authority to file charges against them, Ravena said.

Earlier, he said that the documents obtained by members of the media listing unliquidated cash advances of Bacolod City officers and employees amounting to about P18.9 million is not official.

This is because the schedule of advances dated Nov. 30, 2007, which included the names of city officials who are no longer in office, did not bear his signature.

Ravena also said some of the accounts have already been liquidated as of December 2007.

The report showed acting Social Services head Sally Abelarde having incurred the biggest cash advance, amounting to P3,944,451.56.

But Ravena said this had already been liquidated by Abelarde as of Dec. 31, 2007. The amount involves the financial aid given by the city to flood victims of the December 2006 typhoon, he said.

Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said the city should look into the reported unliquidated cash advances and do something about those that have not been settled for several years.

Sayson said it is a normal practice in government accounting that cash advances are made, but this is subject to liquidation. Perhaps the report included cash advances recently incurred, he said. He believes those concerned should be given a chance to liquidate them, he added.

Ravena said in the case of elected officials, they have leave credits from which their unsettled cash advances can be deducted. They can not be issued clearances upon their retirement unless they settle their accounts, he said.

Sayson said there is an existing government policy where an employee cannot avail of a cash advance unless he or she has settled a previous one. The city should see to it that an employee has no double cash advances, he said.*CGS

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