MANILA, Philippines — The series of community quarantines has caused the delay in the procurement process of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Wednesday.
In the annual audit report by the Commission on Audit (COA), the DOJ was able to use P8.27-billion of its total budget. However, it asked the justice department to explain the prolonged procurement process.
COA also took note of the DOJ’s unused P266-million intended for personal services, maintenance, and other operating expenses and projects for capital outlay.
Guevarra said the DOJ has already made its explanation to the COA.
He said the DOJ’s “inability to utilize fully its appropriations for capital outlay in 2020 was caused mainly by delays in the procurement process occasioned by the series of community quarantines.”
“Nevertheless, the DOJ is presently maximizing the utilization of allotments by speeding up the implementation of projects planned for the rest of the year, and cascading available resources to its regional prosecution and other allied offices,” Guevarra said.