Makati exec deplores COA report as ‘patently unfair’

One of the parking areas of the Makati City Hall Building II. INQUIRER FILE  PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—“Patently unfair” was how a Makati official described the Commission on Audit’s (COA)    disclosure of its preliminary audit    report    on the    controversial Makati City Hall 2 parking building during a Senate hearing    on    Thursday.

“As a rule, COA audits are confidential in nature because the office being audited has the right to reply and explain the findings. Preliminary findings are not conclusive findings,” City Administrator Eleno Mendoza said in a statement.

Mendoza said that under the COA rules, an agency being audited would be asked to submit first its replies and comments before the  commission calls the agency to an exit conference where the findings and corresponding comments would be discussed.

“Only after such a conference does COA render a final report,” the city administrator said.

“The COA official emphasized these during the hearing but was forced to read his report against his objection. This is patently unfair to the city government, which has yet to see and comment on the said findings,” he said, referring to Alexander    Juliano, director of the COA’s fraud audit office.

Juliano    expressed    reservation when    the    Senate    blue ribbon sub-committee asked him to read the COA’s initial    evaluation    on the parking building project, saying the commission has yet to get the side of    city government.

Nonetheless, Mendoza  noted that the preliminary report did not mention overpricing, contrary to allegations.

““It only mentions alleged lapses in the procurement process,” he said.

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