A RUNNING feud between the mayor and municipal treasurer of Urbiztondo, a third class municipality, is holding the town’s finances hostage, including the salary of municipal employees.

Mayor Ernesto Balolong refuses to recognize Loida Cancino as municipal treasurer, against whom he filed an administrative complaint for alleged “incompetence” before the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF).

The BLGF, however, cleared and reinstated Cancino to her post, and the mayor has filed his appeal and reiterated his request for for a replacement.

Meantime, the government-owned Land Bank of the Philippines, recognizing the BLGF’s decision, has been withholding the release of municipal funds in the absence of Cancino’s signatures on the checks, including the P1.2 million check to cover the employees’ salary for May.

Earlier, Rudy Mandapat was designated as officer-in-charge of the municipal treasurer’s office while the case against Cansino was being resolved.

Mandapat, however, retired from the service shortly after upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65.

The Sangguniang Bayan then designated William Gusto as officer-in-charge.

After Cancino was reinstated by the BLGF, Gusto was retained by the mayor to continue to discharge the functions of OIC, including signing checks for the town’s funds.

Cancino reportedly reported for work daily even if no table and chair was provided for her and was forced to ‘hold office’ in her parked car within the municipal hall’s premises.

Cancino then refused to sign any check reportedly in deference Gusto’s designation as OIC but Land Bank refused to recognize the signature of Gusto.

RALLY

Balolong, speaking at the ‘Meet the Press’ forum Tuesday of the Pangasinan Tri-Media Association, said he is set to hold a rally in front of the Department of Finance (DOF) head office in Manila this week if the BLGF still refuses to assign a new permanent municipal treasurer for Urbiztondo.

The mayor insists that the BLGF mishandled the administrative case against Cancino.

“Noong siya [Cancino] po ang treasurer ng bayan, ang income po namin apat na milyon lang. Pero noong dumating na po itong si Mandapat, naging 6.5 million pesos na,” Balolong said.

Balolong alleges that the dismissal of the case was orchestrated saying, “Na-dismiss ‘yong kaso ng hindi namin alam. May ginawang silang [BLGF] situwasyon na kunwari ay may na-receive na sulat ang aming opisina na amin daw pinirmahan na hindi naman nakarating sa amin.”

Balolong said he had appealed to the BLGF five times for the replacement of Cancino.

The provincial government had written to the DOF asking for help in resolving the matter.–LM (with a report from PIA-Pangasinan)

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