P74M travel expenses of PDEA lacked supporting docs — COA

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged some P74.283 million in local travel expenses of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) which lacked required supporting documents.

In its 2018 audit report, the COA said PDEA spent P110.821 million in its local travels by Dec. 31, 2018. But airfare payments and liquidation reports amounting to P22.451 million, or 40.99 percent of the total travel expenses incurred for the period, had insufficient supporting documents.

COA added that PDEA submitted some 101 disbursement vouchers for various transactions amounting to P51.831 million which also lacked official receipts.

“This situation is not in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations and casted doubts on the validity, existence, occurrence, and regularity of the claims,” COA noted.

“The incomplete documentation of the transactions, aside from non-adherence to existing rules and regulations, rendered difficulty in ascertaining the propriety, necessity and validity of the transactions,” it added.

COA further cited Section 4 of the Government Auditing Code which states that claims against government funds should be supported with complete documentation.

The audit agency then asked PDEA to submit the documentary requirements of the transactions amounting to P22.451 million.

PDEA’s cashier should also require its claimants to submit official receipts and refrain from payment without complete documentation, according to COA.

COA said PDEA agreed to adhere to both recommendations. (Editor: Julie Espinosa)