Belmonte: House must probe unauthorized GOCC bonuses

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said Monday that the House of Representatives “ought” to launch an inquiry into the billions of bonuses and allowances for 31 government-owned and -controlled corporations deemed unauthorized by the Commission on Audit (COA).

Belmonte told reporters that the House should look into the guidelines of the issuance of the bonuses as well as the basis for COA to deem these issued without authority or legal basis.

“I think we ought to inquire and find out because I’m interested what are the guidelines,” he said.

Belmonte added that the Palace used to issue guidelines when he was Government Insurance Service System (GSIS) president and general manager.

The speaker added that he had thought the issue on unauthorized guidelines was long resolved when the Governance Commission for GOCCs was created to oversee the bonuses.

He noted too that GOCCs should not deem the bonuses as valid only because predecessors received the same.

“If we find out that it’s all everybody for himself, then we can come up with reasonable guidelines for the benefit of everybody,” Belmonte said.

The COA in their latest report has ordered 31 GOCCs to refund a total of P2.313 billion as these were issued to board of directors and employees “without or in excess of legal basis or proper authority.”