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Friday, March 29, 2024

‘Only Imee could unravel mystery’

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AN OFFICIAL said Tuesday only Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos could unravel the “mystery” behind the missing documents on Ilocos Norte’s alleged misuse of P66.45 million worth of tobacco excise tax funds from 2011 to 2012.

Deputy Speaker and Davao Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano said only Marcos could tell the exact participation of the “Ilocos Six” on the the cash advances  made by the provincial government under her watch to buy five used buses and 70 mini-trucks. 

She said the vehicles were bought for P66.45 million using the province’s share in the proceeds from the excise taxes collected from the locally produced Virginia-type cigarettes.

Garcia-Albano said the “collective amnesia” of the six Ilocos Norte government employees was unbelievable.

“Governor Marcos is the best person to enlighten the committee about these cash advances considering that her signature was in most of the documents whose originals have all of a sudden mysteriously disappeared, Garcia-Albano said.

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“She can prove her avowed willingness to cooperate by appearing in the next hearing to explain why P66.45 million worth of buses, multi-cabs and mini-trucks were acquired using Ilocos Norte‘s share in tobacco excise taxes, and worse, procuring them via cash advances rather than the required public bidding.”

Garcia-Albano, a lawyer, said Marcos’ signatures  were on most of the documents on the cash advances made to procure the buses and mini-trucks.

“Governor Marcos was the one who requested the purchases, signed their approval, certified the appropriation allotments and signed the disbursement vouchers for the cash advances,” Garcia-Albano said.

“She can bring the documents along with her to prove her claim that all the transactions related to the purchase were aboveboard and cleared by the CoA [Commission on Audit].”

The Ilocos Six have been cited in contempt by the committee led by Rep. Johnny Pimentel for refusing to answer the questions by lawmakers on the alleged irregular cash advances. They have been detained at the Batasang Pambansa complex since May 29.

“It would be better to call them the Six Amnesiacs given their apparent bout with collective amnesia when all of them have uncannily forgotten anything and everything about the three transactions worth P66.45 million that were all green-lighted by Marcos herself,” Garcia-Albano said.

She said Marcos’ refusal to testify at the congressional inquiry and the silence of the “Six Amnesiacs” only bolstered the public perception that there were anomalies involved in the acquisition of the vehicles in three tranches.

Pimentel’s committee has been investigating the alleged irregular cash advances made by Ilocos Norte to procure 40 multi-cabs worth P18.6 million, five second hand Hyundai buses costing P15.3 million and 70 mini-trucks priced at P32.5 million in 2011 and 2012.

The committee has invited Marcos to shed light on the matter but she has failed to attend the committee hearings.

The committee will resume its inquiry on the matter on July 25, and a subpoena has already been issued to Marcos to compel her to attend the hearing.

Garcia-Albano, meanwhile, turned down Marcos’ call for the  release of  the detained officials and employees as a condition for her appearance before the committee.

Her attendance at the hearing should not be conditional,” she said.  

“These detained officials also have liabilities that they should answer for if it is proven that the purchases were illegal. Why should she take up the cudgels for them?” 

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