COTABATO CITY (June 22) — A Bangsamoro Parliament investigation has uncovered what lawmakers described as an unauthorized bank account used by the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE), where nearly P4.9 billion in government funds were allegedly deposited instead of being reverted to the Bangsamoro Treasury.
The disclosure emerged during a joint hearing of the Bangsamoro Parliament’s Committee on Finance, Budget and Management and the Committee on Basic, Higher and Technical Education, as lawmakers examined the ministry’s financial management practices during the tenure of former Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal.
The inquiry also brought to light concerns over some P415 million in unpaid Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) contributions, an issue that lawmakers said has affected around 10,000 teachers and administrative personnel across the Bangsamoro region.
Questions Over Treasury Compliance
According to Deputy Floor Leader and Member of Parliament Naguib Sinarimbo, the issue first surfaced during budget deliberations in November last year when lawmakers discovered billions of pesos in unreverted funds parked in a separate “current account” rather than in the official Bangsamoro Treasury account.
Under the Bangsamoro government’s financial management system, unused appropriations are generally required to revert to the treasury to ensure proper accounting and oversight of public funds.
“There was P4.9 billion deposited in a separate account of the ministry when it should have been deposited in the Bangsamoro Treasury account,” Sinarimbo told reporters after the hearing.
Documents presented before the committees showed that unreverted funds accumulated from 2023 to 2025 totaled more than P4.918 billion.
Lawmakers questioned why the funds remained outside the treasury system and whether the arrangement complied with financial regulations established by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Management.
“The money that should have reverted to the treasury did not revert because it was placed in a current account instead of the treasury account,” Sinarimbo said.
Impact on Teachers Raises Concern
Beyond questions of financial compliance, lawmakers expressed concern over the ministry’s delayed remittance of approximately P415 million in GSIS contributions.
The issue is believed to affect about 10,000 teachers and education personnel, many of whom have reportedly remained without permanent appointments for years.
Lawmakers warned that unpaid contributions could create complications for employees seeking access to government benefits, loans, retirement programs, and other transactions requiring updated GSIS records.
The matter has heightened concerns about the welfare of education workers who rely on government-mandated social protection benefits.
Ministry Says Most Funds Already Returned
MBHTE officials informed the committees that a significant portion of the questioned funds has already been returned to government accounts.
According to the ministry, only about P1.5 billion remains unreverted from the original P4.9 billion identified during the investigation, with the rest reportedly transferred back to government coffers this year.
“When we asked them, there was still P1.5 billion that had not been reverted and remained in that account,” Sinarimbo said.
The explanation, however, has not ended lawmakers’ concerns regarding why the funds were initially held outside the treasury system and whether existing financial procedures were properly followed.
Accountability and Public Trust
The inquiry comes amid broader efforts by the Bangsamoro Parliament to strengthen transparency, accountability, and fiscal management within government institutions.
Lawmakers noted that delayed remittances and unreverted funds can have consequences beyond bookkeeping, potentially affecting payments to suppliers, government agencies, and institutions such as GSIS and PhilHealth.
The committees are expected to continue their investigation in the coming weeks to determine accountability, assess compliance with financial regulations, and ensure that public funds and employee benefits are properly safeguarded.
For lawmakers, the issue goes beyond numbers.
At stake, they say, is public trust in government institutions and the assurance that funds intended for public services—and benefits owed to thousands of teachers and education workers—are managed responsibly and transparently.
