COA told to conduct fraud audit on BARMM鈥檚 use of P6.4B fund
MANILA, Philippines — A House panel has asked the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a fraud audit on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) questionable use of P6.4 billion Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).
Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong made the call during the committee on public account’s Monday hearing on the alleged misuse of public funds from BARMM’s Office of the Chief Minister.
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“Even in the internal auditing policy of the COA, P50 million below can be audited at the regional level. At P50 million and above, that’s the central office. That’s in your internal auditing rules and policies,” Adiong said.
“The P50 million and above, COA central national office will come into the picture, and we’re talking of P6.4 billion,” he added.
In line with this, the lawmaker moved to request the commission to conduct a fraud audit, to which public accounts committee chair and Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Stephen Paduano agreed, asking Adiong to formalize the motion.
Aside from this, lawmakers likewise discussed the absence of BARMM officials during the hearing.
Paduano disclosed that the BARMM officials sent an excuse letter citing Ramadan as the reason for their absence.
“[W]e considered it a valid reason,” Paduano said.
But House Deputy Minority Leader and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman said this should not be a reason for them to avoid their obligations.
He also said that the officials might “invoke autonomy in future hearings to evade accountability.”
“Baka mamaya next hearing natin i-invoke nila na wala tayong jurisdiction. But I thank the chair na tama ho ’yung paninindigan na meron tayong oversight authority over them kasi nga sinasabi natin itong pondo naman nila ay dumadaan sa atin,” Hataman said.
(Maybe in our next hearing they will invoke that we do not have jurisdiction. But I thank the chair, it is correct that we invoke our oversight authority over them because their funds are passing through us.)
