Former Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella and another sports official was found to have mishandled over P36 million funds for the 2005 SEA Games.
Former Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella and a former sports official are now being scrutinized by the Commission on Audit (COA) for irregularities in disbursing government funds for the Southeast Asian Games in 2005, which was hosted by the Philippines.
The notice of disallowance issued by the supervising auditor of the Philippines Sports Commission (PSC) was affirmed by the Commission, chaired by Michael Aguinaldo with Isabel Agito and Jose Fabia as members.
According to the PSC supervising auditor, the bidding procedures were not completely followed for the contracts awarded by the Bacolod Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (BASOC), headed by former Mayor Puentevella who was then chairman of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).
Puentevella was also a former representative of the Lone District of Bacolod before becoming mayor but was defeated by Evelio Leonardia in the mayoral race in May 2016 general elections.
COA issued the notice of disallowance for the amount P36, 778, 105.44 on January 30, 2014. The Commission cited insufficient documents to prove that the necessary processes were observed, including the lack of public bidding or approved budgets, or evidence that the projects were duly delivered.
Aside from the former Bacolod chief executive, COA also cited Eric T. Loretizo, who was serving as BASOC Secretary General. Puentevella received O50.5 million allocation from the PSC and signed contracts while Loretizo approved the payment to contractors for infrastructure projects.
Puentevella filed his appeal on the ruling, giving justification that there was not enough time to follow all the procedures and that the size of the major sporting event justified doing away with the requirements of direct contracting.
But the COA found the justification insufficient.
The Commission said, the petitioner’s failure to present the required documents disallows the application of the principle of quantum meruit.
“Since the reasonable value could not be determined for lack of documentary requirements, the principle of quantum meruit cannot apply”.
According to COA, necessary documents must have been submitted even if the public bidding was waived.
