Still looking for ‘missing’ gov’t vehicles

The Bacolod City government has sent letters to 45 individuals who were assigned city-owned vehicles “that remain missing”.

Mayor Albee Benitez said the 45 persons need to explain why based on records the vehicles were assigned to them but cannot be located or accounted for.

An inventory of the City General Services Office (GSO) showed that 45 government vehicles were nowhere to be found while 77 others were accounted for but still not physically seen.

Benitez said that the majority of these “missing” vehicles were issued to the barangays, the Bacolod City Police Office’s already retired employees.

Benitez said the 77 will also be asked to explain to determine whether the vehicles issued to them are now unserviceable and where are these located now.

“They will also be sent the notice to explain to clear themselves of the assignments and accounts,” he said.

The physical inventory of the city government-owned vehicles, which started last month as part of the preparations for the establishment of a ride-hailing system for the departments and offices, showed that out of the total 500 units on record, only 378 were considered accounted for, of which only 197 vehicles are serviceable.

The mayor said that employees who were issued the city-owned vehicles were required to bring them to the Bacolod City Government Center grounds for inventory.

Those who could not account for vehicles assigned to them could face malversation charges, Benitez said.* (EYA)