Mike Defensor spreading ‘fake news’ on outdated COA report–QC mayor spox

Spokesperson Pia Roces Morato (left) with QC Mayor Joy Belmonte

MANILA, Philippines — ​The recent press statement of opposition mayoralty candidate Rep. Mike Defensor on the alleged P479 million worth of pandemic procurements are “woefully outdated” and some are “outright lies,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte’s spokesperson Pia Roces Morato said.

​“Most laughable is that the solon’s entire statement was based on the 2020 COA report wherein the Commission actually awarded the QC LGU for its highest audit rating it has received,” she said.

“The fake news referenced only three pages out of the forty two-page report which pointed out that complete documentation or these procurements had yet to be submitted at the time of writing. Within a matter of weeks, the QC LGU submitted all supporting documents pertaining the P479 million. No violations were cited and the section was written as a request rather than a reprimand,” Morato clarified.

COA was so satisfied with the paperwork and transparency that the institution gave the QC LGU the highest unqualified opinion for the entire year, she added.

Morato also scored Defensor’s claim that this report was newly posted on the COA website, which she called a “flat-out lie.” According to her, “This report was on the COA website last July 2021, covering technical issues for the previous year 2020.”

​“If the intention was to tarnish the reputation of the QC LGU, therefore the complete opposite happened, it was so laughable that it backfired,” she emphasized.

Defensor earlier released a statement claiming COA was questioning the validity of the P479 million worth of pandemic procurements, even accusing the QC-LGU of violating the Procurement Law and its implementing regulations.

Morato said Defensor has spent a lot of time in the past two years staying indoors, so he might be a bit confused.

“It’s 2022 already, let’s not invent things from references that happened last 2020,” she further said.

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