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COA flags Duterte, Robredo offices' accounting of expenses, funds utilization

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Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News

<h3>OP, OVP give explanations</h3><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/07/18/robredo-duterte.jpg" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/07/18/robredo-duterte.jpg"/></figure></div>MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged some supposedly accounting deficiencies in the offices of former President Rodrigo Duterte and former Vice President Leni Robredo.The COA noted in the 2021 audit report on the Office of the President (OP) various issues, including the erroneous charging of the cost of major repairs of the Kalayaan Hall as well as three grand wooden chandeliers in the Palace.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/29/22/applause-salute-as-robredo-leaves-office-for-the-last-time-as-vp">Applause, salute as Robredo leaves office for the last time as VP</a></li></ul>For the repair and replacement of roof tiles of the Kalayaan Hall from 2020 to 2021, the total cost of P15.344 million was recognized in the repairs and maintenance account, with unutilized roof tiles amounting to P157,920 not deducted from the total amount.The cost of restoration and repairs of three chandeliers amounting to P11.602 million, P8.498 million, and P3.104 million were also recognized as repairs and maintenance in the OP books. The state auditors noted that minor repairs can be charged to the repairs and maintenance account, but major repairs must be added to the carrying amount of the item and should be depreciated over its remaining life.“The cost incurred for the repair of Kalayaan Hall and the restoration of the grand wooden chandeliers are considered major repairs and betterment, since it prolonged the useful life and the service potentials of both properties,” the audit team said. The OP management agreed to the recommendation of the audit team to prepare an adjusting entry on the major repairs to reflect the correct balances of the affected accounts. The OP audit report also noted that P33.445 million out of a total of P52.999 million funds transferred to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), through the National Security Council, remain unliquidated as of the end of 2021.<div>OVP</div>For the Office of the Vice President (OVP), auditors noted deficiencies in the procurement and utilization of COVID-19 antigen test kits totaling P9.9 million, with 17,350 kits costing P7.807 million used after 2 to 8 months from their deliveries.“These conditions reflect that there was no immediate need yet to purchase all the 22,000 test kits in April 2021; thus, defeated the purpose of their emergency procurement,” the auditors said. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/22/robredo-announces-launch-of-angat-buhay-ngo-in-july">Robredo announces launch of Angat Buhay NGO in July</a></li></ul>The OVP told the auditors that it intentionally procured in bulk to have flexibility in responding right away to the requests of local government units, the report said.The office, it said, was also affected by the updated guidelines of the Department of Health recommending the antigen test kits only for targeted screening, which entailed adjustments in the selection of sites. “Nevertheless, the OVP strived to fully utilize the remaining antigen test kits for another appropriate purpose,” the OVP told the auditors according to the report.Cash advances of the OVP totaling P1.318 million also remained unliquidated as of end of 2021, contrary to pertinent COA rules and regulations. The cash advances made were mostly for the COVID-19 vaccine project of the OVP as well as other livelihood and advocacy programs. The OVP however told the audit team on June 7 that all cash advances had already been fully liquidated. Furthermore, auditors noted that hiring of private lawyers by the OVP were not compliant with the rules of COA and the Office of the Solicitor General. The OVP explained that the lawyers hired were for the Angat Buhay program which not only required a legal lens from them but a combination of policy, advocacy, development and regulatory perspectives.The agency admitted it committed a mistake in crafting the contract but undertook actions to correct the documentation.Copies of the audit reports were received by the offices of Robredo and Duterte last June 28, days before they stepped down from office.

The COA has flagged some supposedly accounting deficiencies in the offices of former President Rodrigo Duterte and former Vice President Leni Robredo.

COA flags Duterte, Robredo offices' accounting of expenses, funds utilization

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COA flags Duterte, Robredo offices' accounting of expenses, funds utilization

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 18, 2022 04:27 PM PHT

|

Updated July 18, 2022 07:17 PM PHT

Read More:

COA

Commission on Audit

Leni Robredo

Rodrigo Duterte

OP

Office of the President

Office of the Vice President

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