COA affirms disallowance on Puerto Princesa's P10 M fund for 2008 athletic meet
The Commission on Audit (COA) has affirmed the disallowance on the use by Puerto Princesa City of P10 million for the liquidation of cash advances for the Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan (MIMAROPA) Regional Athletic Association Meet (MRAAM) and Palarong Pambansa in 2008.
In its notice of disallowance (ND), the COA said the P10 million was intended for the repair and rehabilitation of various school buildings in the city in preparation for the school year 2008 to 2009.
However, it lamented that the fund was used to pay various expenses relative to the MRAAM and Palarong Pambansa.
Also, the COA said the procurements relative to the sports event were made on a piecemeal basis and without the benefit of public bidding.
Puerto Princesa’s Administrative Officer IV/Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) Mylene J. Atienza filed a petition for review before the COA and contested the P10 million disallowance.
In her appeal, Atienza said that the intended purpose for which the trust fund was created has been duly served because a considerable number of elementary and high school buildings have been repaired and rehabilitated.
However, the COA found the petition without merit.
It said: "It must be emphasized that the subject disallowance was not solely based on the utilization of the trust fund for the purpose other than that for which it was created."
The audit commission pointed out that the petition did not even touch upon the procurement that was done without public bidding, as well as the payments made to various suppliers and individuals without proper documentation.
"All claims were not covered with duly approved and accepted purchase orders or any other form of contract, and were not supported with canvasses/quotations of prices from bonafide suppliers, and these two grounds were never disputed by Petitioner Atienza, in both her appeal and petition for review," it stressed.
The 10-page decision was signed by COA Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba and Commissioners Mario G. Lipana and Douglas M.N. Mallillin.