Ombudsman, anti-graft task force to wait for final audit on DOH pandemic funds
MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman will not take action on supposed deficiencies on the Department of Health’s utilization of its 2020 budget for pandemic response for now, saying it will wait until the end of the state auditors' review process.
The Commission on Audit in a report released Wednesday said a majority of the flagged DOH funds, P66.28 billion, were mainly due to "non-compliance of pertinent laws and rules and regulations." Auditors gave DOH an adverse opinion, noting that its financial statements did not "present fairly, in all material respects," the agency's financial position.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires, in a statement posted by The STAR on Thursday, noted that COA’s “Annual Audit Report contains several Audit Observation Memorandum reports, and at this stage of the proceedings.”
“The Office of the Ombudsman will await the completion of the auditing process as the agency is given the opportunity to ensure full implementation of all audit recommendations to improve the financial and operation efficiency of the DOH,” Martires added.
The Ombudsman also pointed out that should there be “non-compliance or disagreement in the implementation of the recommendations and observations of the auditors,” the case may also still be elevated to the COA en banc, which has the final say on the matter.
Martires explained: “To await the finalization and completion of the auditing process avoids a repeat of having to withdraw cases already filed in court based on preliminary audit findings similar to the events that transpired in the Echiverri cases in 2018.”
The ombudsman did not specify the cases but may have been referring to the dismissal of at least five graft cases filed against former Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri. The Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division in March 2019 granted Echiverri’s demurrer to evidence seeking the dismissal of the complaint of violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The dismissal in March 2019 was the fifth graft complaint dismissed by the Sandiganbayan out of the 57 cases filed against Echiverri by the Office of the Ombudsman.
Senate probe
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, whose department heads the Task Force against Corruption, also said the panel may conduct an anti-graft investigation into the DOH in case the health department fails to justify failure or render an acceptable explanation of the COA findings.
Government agencies and their officials may be accused of “more serious violations of law, such as for breach of anti-graft and government procurement laws, in which case the TFAC will step in,” he said.
Duque on Wednesday night said all the funds flagged by COA have been accounted for. "No funds were mishandled and all were allotted for our people," he added in Filipino.
While the Ombudsman and the Task Force against Corruption said they will wait for COA processes to run their course, senators are pushing for a legislative inquiry into the matter.
Sen. Grace Poe on Thursday filed a resolution urging the Senate to probe the DOH's utilization of the P67.32 billion in pandemic funds flagged by COA.
"These funds were provided to strengthen the agency's health resources in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the implementation deficiencies denied our countrymen their right to health at a time when it is most needed," the resolution reads. — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from Bella Perez-Rubio, The STAR/Elizabeth Marcelo
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