CGE: Sandoval's government diverted funds from a public service exam to pay the 13th-month salary.

Tocantins 247 - The audit report conducted by the State Comptroller General's Office (CGE) found that the amount of R$ 7.699.133,07 million held in the Human Resources and Assets Management Fund (Fungerp) of the State Secretariat of Administration (Secad) was transferred by the previous administration to cover a personnel expense deficit related to the 13th-month salary of civil servants.

According to the report, "the condition of verifying the positive balance before the transfer of R$ 7.699.133,07 from Fungerp to the state treasury was not observed, contrary to article 3 of Law No. 2.491/2011, an act carried out by the former Secretary of State for Finance, Joaquim Carlos Parente Júnior," the audit points out.

The Fund's resources originated from registrations for the Social Defense Secretariat's competitive examination and were misused. "The resources were collected from the examination and should only be used for this purpose and for maintenance in the management and modernization of the secretariat, and in no way for payroll payments," emphasized the State Comptroller General, Luiz Antônio da Rocha.

According to the Comptroller General, former Secretary Joaquim Júnior, right-hand man of former Governor Sandoval Cardoso (SD), committed the crime of malfeasance foreseen in article 42 of the Fiscal Responsibility Law, when he left portions of the contract for conducting the Public Security examination without sufficient financial resources to fulfill the obligations assumed. The audit further specifies that Júnior and the then Undersecretary of the Treasury, Roger Luiz Tolentino, at the time ordered payment acts outside the purposes established in the relevant legislation.

The audit report will be forwarded to the State Attorney General's Office (PGE), which will take the appropriate legal measures to hold those involved accountable, as well as to the State Court of Auditors (TCE) and the State Public Prosecutor's Office (MPE).

The act deemed illegal by the audit caused the temporary suspension of the Public Security bidding process by the responsible company, Fundação Professor Carlos Augusto Bittencourt (Funcab), due to non-payment of two installments. Under the current administration, the problem was resolved through debt negotiation by Secad and the signing of a Conduct Adjustment Agreement (TAC).

Regarding Secad, the CGE will conduct an audit of the payroll in April. "It's a more specific and complex process because it involves benefits granted according to the law, and we will have to hold a bidding process to hire a company to carry out the work," the comptroller informed.

Funhealth

The CGE auditors also concluded that there was an irregularity in Funsaúde regarding the alteration of the calculation basis for the Executive's employer contribution made by the former Secretary of Administration, Lúcio Mascarenhas, which contradicts Law 2.296/2010. The contribution had a calculation basis of one minimum wage, and the previous administration changed it to R$ 1.698. "The alteration was made through a Memorandum, and this cannot happen; it is a document that has no legal basis," he said.

The Comptroller General's Office (CGE) is still conducting audits at the State Health Department, Education Department, Detran (Department of Motor Vehicles), and Unitins (University of Inaux). "These are larger units and take longer because some departments have thousands of processes, but all administrative bodies will have their processes audited. This is a directive from the governor," he emphasized.