SC orders COA chief, auditor to comment on allegations

COA Chief Maria Gracia Pulido-Tan. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered Commission on Audit Chair Grace Pulido Tan to answer the bid to compel her to explain the non-issuance of notices of disallowance for more than P6-billion worth of pork barrel funds that were allegedly used to fund non-existent projects.

In a one-page resolution, the high court gave Pulido Tan and COA Special Audit Office Director Susana Garcia 10 days from receipt of notice to comply with the order.

“Acting on the petition for mandamus, the Court resolved, without giving due course to the petition to require the respondents to comment within 10 days from notice thereof,” the en banc notice signed by SC Clerk of Court Enriqueta Vidal said.

The case stemmed from the petition filed by former Manila Councilor Greco Belgica.

In his petition, Belgica urged the high court to compel Pulido Tan to release the notices of disallowance on the P6.156 billion in PDAF funds covering the period 2007 to 2009. Belgica said Pulido-Tan failed to fulfil her promise to the Supreme Court during the oral arguments on the legality of the Priority Development Assistance Fund that she will issue the said notices.

Aside from Belgica, the other petitioners are Bishop Reuben Abante of Bible Mode, Reverend Jose Gonzales of the Capitol Christian Leaders and Quintin Paredes San Diego.

The petitioners said Pulido Tan’s failure to issue or release the notices is a violation of the General Auditing Code and the COA’s own Revised Rules of Procedure.

“It is crystal clear that the tenacity of the respondents not to issue the Notices of Disallowance, despite being reminded of their duties and or promise, constitutes defiance of the commands of the fundamental law, the Administrative Code and Republic Act No. 6713 or the General Auditing Code, and the 2009 Revised Rules of Procedure of the Commission on Audit,” they said.

The issuance of release of the notices of disallowance, the petitioners said would have paved the way for the expanded audit of the pork barrel system, which they added, should include the previous form of the pork barrel in the 1990s, the Countrywide Development Fund.

In its special audit report last year, the COA has found 772 projects funded by PDAF worth P6.156 billion and implemented by 82 non-government organizations questionable.

Of the 82 NGOs, only 10 were linked to businesswoman and alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

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