‘Reconfigure’ your audit reports, Duterte advises COA

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has advised the Commission on Audit (COA) to “reconfigure” its audit reports to avoid public perception that flagged government agencies have committed irregularities.

Duterte gave the advice after the commission, in its 2020 audit report, flagged deficiencies that need an explanation from government agencies.

“Alam ko walang malisya (I know there is no malice). You are just doing your duty. But in making the report, kindly reconfigure everything,” he said in his pre-recorded Talk to the People delivered Friday night and aired Saturday morning.

Duterte also urged the state audit body to clarify in its report that the deficiencies found do not mean a state department is involved in corrupt activities.

“I-underline ninyo (Just underline), ‘The report itself does not mention any findings by the auditors of funds lost to corruption.’ Maski ‘yan na lang ang unang sentence ninyo (That could be your opening sentence),” he said.

Article IX-D, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution states that the COA “shall have the power, authority, and duty to examine, audit, and settle all accounts pertaining to the revenue and receipts of, and expenditures or uses of funds and property, owned or held in trust by, or pertaining to, the Government, or any of its subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations with original charters, and on a post-audit basis.”

It is one of the three independent constitutional bodies in the country, aside from the Commission on Elections and the Civil Service Commission.

Several government agencies, including the Department of Health (DOH), have earned public ire following the release of the COA’s annual audit report.

The DOH, which leads the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response efforts, drew flak after the commission reported deficiencies of about PHP67.73 billion in pandemic response funds.

‘Be kind enough’

Duterte expressed dismay that despite his administration’s efforts to fight Covid-19, the COA report made it appear that some government agencies are not using the public funds properly.

He said COA should give the departments under the executive branch some “elbow room to move” amid the pandemic.

“This is why COA should be kind enough to understand the situation of the DOH and the other departments of the executive department,” he said. “Corruption kasi ang lumalabas dito sa COA eh (The COA report made it appear that there is corruption), so we have to correct that perception because it will destroy the faith of the people in government.”

The President expressed hope that state auditors would give the government agencies leading the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic “at least at the end of the year” before it makes an audit report.

“Suggestion ko lang ‘yan. Huwag kang pumasok ngayon kasi ongoing ang barilan (That’s just my suggestion. Do not interfere yet because the war is ongoing) between the virus and the government’s vaccine. There is a war there. Huwag ka masyado basta bigla ka na lang pumasok, mag-conduct ka ng ano. I-timing ninyo (Do not suddenly intervene and conduct a report. Wait for the right timing),” he said.

Not swayed by ‘noise of the few’

Despite criticisms, Duterte said the government would continue exhausting all efforts to defeat Covid-19.

He said he would not allow his administration to get swayed “by the noise of the few.”

“We should perform our sworn duties to the people, including transparency and accountability,” he said. “If you think that these events surrounding the other reports on various agencies under the executive department will distract us from our mission to save our people, then you are wrong.”

Duterte said he would do his best to make the country “victorious” against Covid-19 and ready for a “bigger future.”