COA tells Napolcom to stop giving millions in allowances for supplements

The Commission on Audit (COA) has urged the National Police Commission (Napolcom) to suspend the payment of dietary supplement allowance worth P9.09 million to its officials and employees, including contractual personnel, due to its lack of a legal basis.

"We recommended that management immediately stop the payment of dietary supplement allowance; and henceforth, refrain from paying any form of allowances unless legally authorized," the COA said in its 2018 audit report on Napolcom.

As of December 31, 2018, the Napolcom spent P8.23 million for regular officials and employees and P856,000 for the vitamin allowance of contract of service and job order personnel.

The COA said the commission continued the grant of allowances, either through cash or reimbursement, despite its Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) in October 2017 recommending its suspension for the same legal reason.

The AOM stated that only an office order from the Napolcom vice chairman and executive officer justified the dietary supplement allowance.

Napolcom management, in response to the AOM, said the allowance is allowed under the Preventive Health Care Program of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and its own Administrative Order No. 402.

However, the COA said AO 402 only refers to a medical check-up program "consisting of procedures that are strictly diagnostic" and had no details on prescription drug nor dietary supplement benefits.

"Funds intended for the medical check-up shall be used only for the payment of the cost of the check-up actually rendered. Thus, this benefit cannot be monetized," the COA said, citing AO 402.

It added the monetization of such allowance goes beyond the scope of the CSC health care program.

The Napolcom told state auditors during the exit conference that the vitamin allowance was done in good faith and believed to be meritorious. It, nonetheless, pledged to stop the assistance in lieu if the AOM. —NB, GMA News