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Teno welcomes tight watch on his spending powers
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Posted on Jul 13 1999
Shrugging off calls from federal officials to watch his spending of discretionary funds, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday assured the U.S. Department of the Interior that he has been monitoring his expenditures since assuming office in January 1998.
He, however, welcomed the suggestion that Legislature must check his spending of public funds, saying that he has put in place controls to ensure that government expenditures do not violate existing laws.
“They are certainly welcome to monitor. I am monitoring my expenditures so there is no problem on that,” Tenorio told reporters, reacting on the appeal from the Interior department to local legislators to watch the Office of the Governor’s handling of its discretionary funds.
The move followed findings contained in a March 1999 audit report, which has charged former Governor Froilan C. Tenorio of allowing government expenditures above funding appropriations and of reprogramming of money without the necessary authorization.
According to the incumbent governor, he has instructed the Department of Finance to double check request for appropriations from his discretionary account to avoid legal problems in the future.
He maintained that even during his two earlier terms in office, he had “never abused” the spending powers. “I am very careful in the (spending) of my discretionary account,” Tenorio added.
Funds under this account are usually set aside by the governor for emergency needs of the government and for additional budget of critical department and agencies.
“I agree that we should monitor the expenditures or the use of the discretionary account. I don’t think I have any problem,” Tenorio explained.
