MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out at the Commission on Audit over the latter’s prohibitions on some government spending.
“Sino taga-COA dito? Ihulog muna sa hagdanan para hindi maka-report,” Duterte quipped during a briefing on Ompong in Laoag, Ilocos Norte on Sunday night.
Typhoon Ompong, said to be the strongest storm to hit Philippines this year, smashed through northern Luzon on Saturday, leaving behind casualties and damaged properties.
In Ilocos Norte province, the damage was pegged at P2.3 billion – P1.9 billion in agriculture and P440 million in infrastructure – according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Gov. Imee Marcos claimed that the state audit agency prohibited her request for cash advances for the purchase of building materials for victims of Ompong.
The COA allowed cash advances only for food up to P15,000, the Duterte ally said.
“Maniwala ka niyang COA na iyan. You know, you just do it by circular and then they expect everybody to obey. Mga circular, pakialam ko?” Duterte said.
He added: “Some guys in the government went to jail based on a circular and other guys went scot-free because of the same circular. Ganoon ka-cockeyed. Depende na lang saan nila e whether they swing the legal arguments.
“Kaya nga circular lang iyan e. Make it a law or a regulation, but don’t give me that shit of circular.”
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque was quick to defend Duterte, saying the President was only commenting on the COA’s numerous requirements.
“Ang konteksto po niyan ay maraming limitasyon pagdating sa delivery ng humanitarian assistance in times of crisis,” said Roque.
He added: “Ang sinasabi ng Presidente, considering post-audit naman ang COA, hayaan na muna ang pangangailanagan ng taumbayan, saka na muna iyang address-in iyang mga napakaraming requirements ng COA.
“Ang importante ngayon, wala dapat bureaucratic red tape sa pag-release ng tulong (sa) bayan. At sabi ng Presidente kung mayroong nilalabag na COA circular diyan, so be it, the buck stops with him. He is calling on all government offices to give the people what they need in times of calamities. Siya na ang mananagot sa COA kung mayroong pananagutan.”
The COA has recently flagged down Marcos for millions of pesos worth of doubtful transactions and fabricated bid documents in her province last year./PN
