Philippine Navy clarifies COA report on PITC deals

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Navy claimed on Monday that only P116 million worth of deals it coursed through the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) have yet be implemented this year, after the Commission on Audit flagged the P2.26 billion transaction between the two parties.

“As of this moment, out of that 2.2(6) billion earlier reported by the COA (Commission on Audit), only P116 million is left to be implemented within the year, and we’re very much confident that all these backlog will be met by year-end,” Captain Jonathan Zata, director of the Naval Public Affairs Office, said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

The COA earlier called out the Philippine Navy over some P2.26 billion in delayed and unimplemented deals it coursed through the PITC.

READ: COA flags Navy over P2.26-B deals via PITC 

Based on the audit body’s latest report, only 3.5 percent or P81.84 million worth of equipment and supplies have actually been procured by the end of 2018.

The COA also earlier urged the Philippine Navy to demand the immediate delivery of all requisitioned goods and equipment from the PITC.

The PITC, Zata explained, is a government agency which specializes in helping other agencies in its procurement process and requirements.

Zata added that the Philippine Navy has stopped transferring funds to the PITC pursuant to COA’s recommendation.

“Based on the recommendation of COA, we no longer transferred funds to PITC, we were able to establish a working group that purposely looked on, followed up and monitored this backlog projects,” he said.

“We have established another bids and awards committee in order to have all these backlog projects implemented in 2019,” he added.  (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)