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[av_heading heading=’Inventory of Iloilo City relief goods starts’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Friday, April 21, 2017
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ILOILO City – Today, an inventory team begins counting the City Social Welfare and Development Office’s (CSWDO) relief goods and rice stocks, some of which were allegedly smuggled out.
The team yesterday conducted an ocular inspection of the CSWDO stockroom on M.H. Del Pilar Street, Molo district in preparation for the inventory.
To secure the stockroom, the padlocks were changed.
“The sacks of rice from the Department of Social Welfare and Development were here,” said Atty. Mary Joan Montaño during the inspection.
Montaño, chief of the city government’s Internal Audit Service Office, headed the physical inventory team that Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog created on Tuesday.
A motor vehicle of CSWDO was allegedly seen delivering sacks of rice to certain stores.
“We will request for additional manpower for the physical counting,” said Montaño.
Also making up the inventory team were Engr. Eduardo Vargas Jr. of the General Services Office, Edsel Muyuela of the City Accounting Office and Precious Hope Morante and Norwin Diaz, both of the City Legal Office. They saw boxes of sardines in the stockroom, too.
“The results of our inventory will be compared with the records of the CSWDO,” said Montaño.
She did not give a time-table. The length of inventory would depend on the volume of relief goods to be accounted, she explained.
City Administrator Hernando Galvez urged witnesses to come out “so as to ensure nga ma-gather naton ang matuod…Help us get to the bottom of the controversy.”
After the CSWDO stockroom padlocks were changed yesterday, a spare key was given to Mario Mahinay, CSWDO supply officer, for easy access to the relief goods should there be emergencies needing the immediate release of the goods.
Aside from the physical inventory team, Mabilog also formed an ad hoc committee to investigate the alleged pilferage of CSWDO stocks. City Legal Office chief Atty. Lorna G. Laurea is heading the fact-finding committee.
Two CSWDO personnel were relieved from their posts, too – stockroom man Edwin Florendo and driver Jonathan Celiz.
But Galvez was quick to stress that, “We are not convicting anybody here…they enjoy the presumption of innocence.”
Florendo and Celiz denied pilfering CSWDO’s goods. They were temporarily transferred to other city government offices./PN
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