COA affirms disallowance on Caloocan City's P198M cash advances for intelligence, confidential funds from 2008 to 2013
The Commission on Audit (COA) has affirmed the notices of disallowance (NDs) amounting to P198 million which the Caloocan City government spent for Intelligence and Confidential (IC) activities from 2008 to 2013.
The NDs dated March 3, 2015 were issued by the head of the Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Unit (ICFAU) of the COA on the liquidation of the funds.
The ICFAU disallowed the liquidation of P198 million due to several deficiencies, such as the improper accomplishment of the liquidation reports and lack of several pertinent documents.
As an example, ICFAU cited the P96 million spent for Intelligence and Confidential Funds (ICF) from 2008 to 2010, which it said had "no basis in the absence of Peace and Order Program (POP) provided."
It explained that if no funds were allocated for peace and order concerns, it is understood that there was no need to utilize funds for intelligence purposes.
It also cited the cash advance made in February 2010 for ICF, which it said had no basis because it did not have the approval from the Office of the President (OP).
Former Caloocan City Mayor Enrico R. Echiverri filed the appeal before COA. He argued that the appropriations for POP were provided for in the city's approved annual budgets for 2008 to 2010. At the same time, he said the release and utilization of the ICF for 2010 was post-facto approved by the OP.
However, the COA found the petition bereft of merit. It said: "The petitioners failed to refute most of the audit findings, thus, the NDs must be sustained. The petitioners were granted CAs for IC activities for 2008 to 2013 but failed to comply with the guidelines set forth."
The decision was signed by COA Commissioners Roland Cafe Pondoc and Mario G. Lipana.