COA hits AMLC for splurging on pricey phones

The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for buying 16 “high-end” iPhone 7 units for its financial investigators in 2017, which meant it could only buy fewer phones with its budget.

In its annual audit report, COA said AMLC did not comply with its annual procurement plan that provided for the purchase of 24 cell phones at P25,000 each, or a total budget of P600,000.

AMLC instead bought 16 iPhone 7 units at P37,388.88 each, 49.55 percent higher than the approved unit cost. In all, AMLC spent P598,222.08 on the iPhone units.

“There was a reduction in the quantity from 24 to 16, with a difference of eight units that were not provided to other … users,” the report read.

The AMLC reasoned out that Apple’s iOS operating system was “more secured” than phones using the Android system.  — VINCE F. NONATO