Senators seek COA special audit on gov’t spending for COVID-19

Seven senators have urged the Commission on Audit to look into the government spending for COVID-19 under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and release its findings before Congress starts the 2021 budget deliberations.

Senate Resolution 479, authored by Senator Risa Hontiveros, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senators Francis Pangilinan, Leila De Lima, Sonny Angara, and Panfilo Lacson, was filed on Tuesday.

The resolution states that various overpricing issues hounded the procurements made in relation to the pandemic, including the nucleic acid extractors bought for P4 million each when the private sector was able to get it at P1.75 million.

It also mentioned the supposedly overpriced personal protective equipment (PPE) sets, pointing out that many health workers are still falling ill because of lack of protective gear.

The use of imported test kits from China and South Korea when cheaper ones have already been developed by the University of the Philippines has also been stressed.

For the swift procurement of necessary supplies to fight the pandemic, the first Bayanihan law provided for exemptions from the requirements of bidding as laid out in the Government Procurement Reform Act. 

"This health crisis should not allow us to relax our accountability measures. The people should be able to trust the government that no one is lining their pockets with taxpayers’ money," Hontiveros said.

The senators said they want to see the COA special report before they hold budget hearings for the 2021 General Appropriations Act.

"We are anticipating massive allocations to address health, economic and social impacts of COVID-19. It is of critical importance that there be audit findings to guide legislators in our exercise of the power of the purse," Hontiveros said.

Angara, chair of the Senate committee on finance and principal sponsor of the second Bayanihan bill—the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, was not able to sign the resolution but expressed his intention to be made co-author of the resolution.

On Tuesday, Pangilinan voted against the passage of the Bayanihan 2 bill on third reading as he stressed that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III must first step down before more funding is poured into the Department of Health.

"I'm afraid that under the mediocre leadership that has been displayed consistently since the pandemic hit us, none of these interventions will be met or achieved and billions of funds will be spent again without achieving the results necessary," he said.

The Bayanihan Law 2 provides for the appropriation of a P140 billion standby fund to facilitate economic recovery—P10 billion of which shall be earmarked for efforts to ramp up COVID-19 testing and enhancement of health care services in the country. — RSJ, GMA News