Philippine Air Force received P2B funding for Marawi siege, COA says

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has received more than P2 billion from the government for the purchase of air ammunition and various munitions and the replenishment of supplies used against the Maute Group during the five-month combat operations in Marawi City in 2017, according to the report of the Commission on Audit (COA).

The COA said the Department of Budget and Management released P2.039 billion for the PAF in 2017 and 2018 "to support the procurement of air munitions, special munitions, and projected aircraft requirements and to replenish supplies."

As of December 31, 2018, the COA said the Air Force has used only P1.49 billion of its total budget, while the PAF Command told the commission that it will utilize the remaining P547 million this year.

The bulk of the expenses, or around P824 million, went to the purchase of air munitions and other military supplies, followed by P303.9 million worth of supplies and materials inventory.

State auditors said the PAF, which served as the "aerial warfare service branch" of the military, also received P312,000 from the Philippine Army as incentives to two female PAF personnel deployed during the siege.

The COA did not cite any adverse findings in its annual audit.

"There are no significant findings noted in the audit of utilization of Marawi funds," it said.

Due from PITC

Meanwhile, the COA flagged the P3.23-million difference in the balance of the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) to the PAF worth P537.376 million and its delay in the delivery of P193 million worth of air ammunition.

The COA said the discrepancy came from the expected delivery of athletic rubber shoes, which the PITC has yet to confirm as of February 13, 2019.

The PAF has also not yet received P193 million worth of MK-82 Low Drag General Purpose Bombs with accessories and rockets from PITC, the audit said. It said this was purchased through a negotiated procurement via foreign military sales.

The commission said the lack of a cost-benefit analysis from the PAF caused the military to purchase 960 MK-82 bombs at a higher price, saying the US government offered a cheaper product which could have saved the military P16.13 million.

"The difference/potential savings could have been utilized to procure additional air ammunition or other operational requirements had the agency continued the procurement from US government and exercised the necessary due diligence," the COA said.

The COA urged PAF management to reconcile the discrepancies with PITC and demand the immediate delivery of its dues.

In its comment, the PAF said the PITC had settled the discrepancy on March 1. It also agreed to adhere to the other recommendations in the audit. —KG/KBK, GMA News