The Manila Times
THE Commission on Audit (COA) has disallowed in audit P375 million in confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP). COA found the following to be "responsible/liable" for the sum disallowed: Vice President Sara Duterte, Gina Acosta, Julieta Villadelrey, and Raymund Dante Lachica. "Please direct the aforementioned persons responsible/liable to settle immediately the said disallowance," the Notice of Disallowance, which was dated March 31, read. A disallowance becomes final and executory if it is not appealed within six months or 180 days from receipt of the notice. In the notice, the COA said it had audited the submitted liquidation reports and supporting documents for the cash advances of confidential funds. It said that under a joint circular, "Cash advances shall be used for specific legal purpose related to CF and/or IF (intelligence fund). Under no circumstance shall it be transferred from one accountable to another." It also disallowed P261,300,000 in confidential expenses. "The Certifications dated April 4, 2024 and September 30, 2023 issued by the VPSPG stated that the confidential activities such as surveillance and information gathering conducted [...] during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters of CY 2023, respectively, prevented untoward incidents from transpiring during the engagements of the Vice President in the implementation of the programs of the OVP, including the establishment of the three new Satellite Offices in Isabela, Cagayan Valley, Bicol and BARMM, and the implementation of the OVP Libreng Sakay Program, as reported in the attached Protective Intelligence Operations (PIO) in support to the Protective Security Operations intended for the security and safety of the VP and the implementation of the programs of the OVP from January 01 to September 30, 2023," the COA said in the notice. "However, these Certifications and PIO reports did not specify the particular accomplishments demonstrating the success of the information gathering and/or surveillance activities directly related to the confidential operations undertaken as required by Item 4.8.5.b of the Joint Circular that necessitated the payments of rewards," the notice said. It also said that the "purchases of supplies and provisions of medical/food aid totaling" P199 million "were supported only by acknowledgment receipts." "Although the Joint Circular does not prescribe specificity to the documentary evidence of payments to be submitted to substantiate the disbursements made from the CF, this Office, pursuant to Item 6.2.3.7 of the Joint Circular, may require other supporting documents that we deem necessary for the proper evaluation of liquidation documents submitted. To ascertain the validity of such purchases of supplies and provision of medical and food aid, we deem it necessary that they be substantiated with appropriate documents such as official receipts or sales invoices. Though this Office recognizes that by the very nature of the CF where identities of those involved, i.e. the informants, for whom supplies were used, owners of safehouses, or owners of rented vehicles used for confidential activities, and the very details of the confidential activities are to be reasonably safeguarded, other details which can be disclosed evidencing validity should be submitted to warrant reasonable and adequate substantiation of the claimed confidential expenses in relation to Item 4.12 of the Joint Circular," it said.
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