COA: Kawit LGU Collects Market Fees Without Contracts, Receipts

In a recent report by the Commission on Audit (COA), it was revealed that the Municipality of Kawit, Cavite has been collecting rental fees from 426 stallholders in the Binakayan Public Market without written contracts and official receipts. Contracts are basis for issuing ORs.

This is in direct violation of the Comprehensive Market Code of the Municipality of Kawit, which mandates the execution of written contracts for all leases, COA said in its annual report.

COA revealed that the monthly rental fees collected from these stallholders amount to at least P618,416.00.

“Despite the absence of written contracts, the Municipality has been enforcing the collection of these rentals based on the provisions set forth by the Municipality’s Market Code,” COA wrote in its findings.

The Municipal Market Supervisor disclosed that since her assumption on November 4, 2019, no contracts of Lease were turned over to her office.

Consequently, no contracts have been executed between the stallholders and the Municipality of Kawit, COA discovered.

Efforts have been made to retrieve copies of contracts with the stallholders, but to no avail.

The lack of written contracts has constrained the Municipality from determining the duration of lease for each stallholder, a requirement stipulated in the lease contract, COA said.

It also prevents the Municipality from identifying whether the occupant is an awardee or a mere sub-lessee of the stall, the latter being prohibited under the same Market Code.

The COA report hints of massive corruption under the administration of Kawit Mayor Angelo Aguinaldo.