(Editor's Note: This is a follow-up story on an earlier COA probe which came out in the leading dailies.)
The Department of the Interior and Local Government has cleared the Manila City Government of the 27 “nonexistent” barangays in the city that allegedly received real property tax shares amounting to P108.733 million after they were flagged by the Commission on Audit.
The investigation released by the DILG-Manila Field Office under Atty. Rolynne Javier revealed that the barangays identified and questioned by COA were actually existing with temporary barangay names and codes. The DILG also said the fund of the so called “Barangay 10” which received P365,000 in tax shares remains intact and has been deposited to the City’s Trust Fund Account.
Interior department officials said, the City of Manila, which has 896 barangays recognized by their numerical numbers, were not yet officially classified as such by the DILG.
Barangay numbers in Manila go from 1 to 905, including the dissolved barangays with sub-A markings.
Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada was relieved by the DILG report. Saying he was pleased by the investigation, he added his administration will not resort to any anomaly to pocket public funds.
Estrada said he will fulfill his promise to rid the city of its financial liabilities and claimed that under his watch he will continue to make the city debt-free.
Source of news: The Manila Standard
Photo credit, the Manila City Hall: Rappler
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