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'Messy' Capitol
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From records to provincial funds, inventories to numerous transactions, dealings and deals, the Iloilo Provincial Government has a lot of fixing and explaining to do.
For starters, there is over P315 million in questionable Capitol property that does not reconcile with the records of its own General Services Office (GSO). An overstated inventory of about P225 million.
Over P5.4 million in unreconciled cash in bank time deposits with four bank accounts discovered to be "closed accounts." Over P5.3 million in paid up expenses for the new Capitol building wanting of refund. Over P405,000 in disallowed claims and honoraria of the Bids and Awards Committee also wanting of refund. Over P12 million in "accounts payable" questioned for its validity and accuracy. Extravagant, exessive and unconscionable catering expense of P3.5 million. And the significant "shopping" mode of procurement frequently employed instead of the government mandated competitive public bidding.
Such and more summed up this year's check made by the Commission on Audit (COA) on the affairs of the Iloilo Provincial Government in the past year as contained in an Audit Report obtained by The News Today.
The COA in baring its findings explained extensively each observation alongside questions raised on the propriety and regularity of certain Capitol deals and implemented actions.
In the P315 million questionable property, plant and equipment on record, government auditors singled-out its observations on unreconciled accounts between the Accounting and GSO offices. There was also the matter of incomplete files, the lack of supply officers or the proper orientation of one, unreturned unserviceable properties and equipment. And these, "buildings are not covered with fire insurance," added up with how the Capitol "did not have operating standards to safeguard against improper and wasteful use of supplies and property."
Yet it was on the "shopping" issue that the COA took note of controversial purchases and expenses of the Iloilo Provincial Government.
"In our review of audit samples and copies of purchase orders submitted to COA, we noted that the frequent mode of procurement used by the Province of Iloilo was shopping and not competitive public bidding, thus violating Sections 10 and 48.2 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations-A (IRR-A) of Republic Act 9184," the COA wrote in its report.
Same observation on the practice of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) which the COA stated, "allowed the use of alternative mode of procurement which is shopping and negotiated procurement even if the situation did not call/warrant for their use," it continued.
Among the examples of the Capitol transactions cited was the P732,500 labor and materials for installation of split-types air conditioner and glass paneling. The "shopping" mode as well for construction materials of P264,292.60, "shopping" still on furnitures and fixtures of P227,482.50 and office equipment like computers ofP197,850.
"We also noted in our review of the documents that there were splittinig of requisitions/purchases in some offices. The dates of the purchase requests/purchase orders were very close to each other and the items involved were similar," the COA further went on its audit report.
As for the negotiated procurement deals, the Commission cited the P2.6 million construction of roofing for the walkway to the new Capitol building. There was also the P3.7 million waiting shed and parking area.
"Similarly, the installation of vertical blinds in the new Capitol and acquisition of computers costing P1,500,000.00 and P313,600.00 respectively were also procured thru negotiation and from the same supplier," it added and worse, "review of the supporting documents revealed that the above procurements did not meet any of the conditions" of RA 9184.
As a solution, COA recommended eight moves foremost of which is for the Capitol to adopt competitive bidding as the general mode of procurement.
The Audit was certified by the Commission's Cluster IV Director, Delfin Aguilar. In a corresponding notification, Aguilar wrote to Governor Niel Tupas stating his request for "appropriate action" within a month upon the province's official receipt of the audit.
