By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

SENATOR Luis P. Crisostimo says the cash-strapped government should be penalized for not paying rebates and vendors on time.
The senator said collections for rebates should have remained in the trust fund as required by law, and shouldn’t have been used for the government’s other financial obligations.
“Why are they spending the rebates in the first place when the money is supposed to be in a trust fund? That’s the mandate for the Department of Finance,” Crisostimo, D-Saipan, said in an interview.
He is pushing for the passage of a measure that will penalize the government an unspecified percentage for delays in the release of rebate checks and payments to vendors.
“We in the government should be mindful of our job,” he said.
Finance has yet to fully pay taxpayers their rebates dating as far back as 2002.
The government also owes vendors millions of dollars.
Crisostimo said something must be done to change the way the government deals with its vendors.