Home 
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines ? Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said he might seek permission from the Commission on Audit (COA) to facilitate the release of P1.5 million in financial assistance to the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (Eruf).
Cortes said this would be his last option if the City Council disapproves his request for the money due to the presence of her brother Hermie in the group.
The money is to be used to establish a base for Eruf in the city, which is one of the requirements of Haarlemmermeer City, Netherlands before it donates a fire truck to the emergency group, according to Cortes.
Councilor Victor Biaño, the council?s majority floor leader, said Cortes was welcome to make such a move.
?(COA?s permission) should be an equivocal declaration that it can be done,? Biaño said.
There are, however, concerns other than those raised by the mayor, the councilor said.
First, the mayor has to identify a source for the funding through a supplemental budget, he said.
?How can we have a supplemental budget when they (executive department) have not even secured from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) a certification that the 2008 Annual Budget is already operative?? asked Biaño.
The DBM recently returned the 2008 Annual Budget to the city government for clarification of certain items that the mayor and the City Council earlier disagreed on.
