COA: BFP gave P12 M to dead pensioners

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) gave more than P12.399 million in pension benefits last year to retired personnel who have died, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).

In a 2014 report released yesterday, COA said those responsible for the irregular payments should be held liable.

“Records showed that the pension benefits totaling P12,399,170.69 were paid to more or less 150 deceased pensioners. The coverage of the irregular payment made on these pensioners ranged from one month to 12 months after death,” state auditors said.

The audit team attributed the irregular payments to the delay in the deletion of pension benefits from the regular payroll because of late submission of death certificate.

“Had the list of pensioners been regularly updated, the irregular payments of pension to several deceased uniformed personnel would have been prevented,” state auditors said.

The COA report said Notices of Disallowance (ND) totaling P10,092,037.44 have been issued to the persons held liable in the transactions.

State auditors directed the BFP to have its appropriate department update the roster of pensioners by conducting inventory in their respective jurisdictions on a regular or quarterly basis to avoid a similar irregularity in the future.

The audit team said the agency should also “file appropriate charges/sanctions to persons determined liable for the irregular payment of pension benefits.”

The BFP has been investigating one case involving a dead beneficiary of the pension fund.

France Ramillo of the Office of the BFP Comptroller also clarified that the P12.399-million pension is for permanent physical disability of bureau personnel.

In response to the COA report, the BFP management said a memorandum had been issued to all of its regional directors requiring regular submission of report of changes in the monthly roster of pensioners.

Officials said they would cleanse the list of pensioners by removing those no longer qualified and will penalize those who are involved in such irregularity.

COA also slammed the BFP over its failure to construct new fire stations, purchase enough fire trucks and provide sufficient protective equipment for its firefighters.

State auditors attributed the problem to the lengthy procurement processes implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which was not even in accordance with Republic Act 9184 or the Procurement Law.

The COA report said snail-paced procedures resulted in the failure to purchase the 244 units of 1,000-gallon and 225 units of 500-gallon fire trucks in 2014.

State auditors said the construction and renovation of 516 fire stations nationwide as well as the purchase of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and other protective gear were not carried out.

“The BFP’s vision of a modern fire protection agency for a safe and progressive society and its mandate of providing adequate firefighting gear, equipment and adequately equipped fire stations are far from being realized due to the policy being implemented by the DILG in the procurement process of the Bureau which is not in accordance with Section 11 of RA 9184,” the COA report noted.

Of the country’s 1,634 cities and municipalities nationwide, state auditors said there are only 1,317 fire stations and substations currently operational, which means that a total of 426 municipalities do not have fire stations.

The audit team said BFP records further showed that the bureau has 1,824 fire trucks, of which 1,626 or 89 percent are operational because 64 are beyond repair and 134 have been deemed unserviceable.With Cecille Suerte Felipe