Capitol told to present contracts of advisors

State auditors called on the Capitol to furnish them copies of Provincial Board resolutions and contracts of 19 consultants hired by suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia within five working days. Commission on Auditor (COA) official Eva Cabrera said their request was part of their ongoing post auditing of local government units (LGUs). The staff of acting Cebu Gov. Agnes Magpale said these appointments were not reviewed by the PB. About 43 consultants were hired by the Capitol and most of them are under the governor's office. Majority of them who were not renewed by Magpale last December, who cited lack of “trust and confidence” in them. Magpale hired advisors of her own like her current spokesperson Dara Acusar. Some of Garcia's consultants were transferred to the office of acting Cebu Vice Gov. Julian Daan, a political ally of Garcia. Capitol consultants, who give advice and services based on their expertise, are paid P20,000 to P26,000 a month. Governor Garcia was ordered suspended for six months by the Office of the President based on a recommendation by the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) for grave abuse of authority. The decision stemmed from a complaint filed by the late vice governor Gregorio Sanchez, who charged Garcia with usurping his authority to appoint consultants and employees to his own office and reducing his budget by 60 percent. /Correspondent Renan Alangilan