Inspection reports signed pending delivery of COVID-19 supplies from China —ex-DBM exec

Inspection reports were already signed even if COVID-19 supplies were still in China and were not yet checked by Philippine authorities, a retired officer of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Monday. 

During the continuation of the Senate blue ribbon committee's inquiry into the government's procurement of "overpriced" COVID-19 items, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan pressed Jorge Mendoza, former officer in charge of DBM-Procurement Service Inspection Division, if he had signed inspection documents before checking the delivery. 

"Were you ever asked to sign any document even before an inspection was made?" Pangilinan said. 

Mendoza answered in the affirmative, saying that during that time there was scarcity of COVID-19 supplies. 

"There was this instance po na we have to ano po, during pandemic time, there was no supply of PPEs so we have to resort to China. So again nag-ano po, wala pang delivery," Mendoza said. 

"But we were advised or instructed to prepare the inspection documents considering nga po na it will be an attachment for the China, assurance to China suppliers na sila po ay shipment or 'yung PPEs will arrive sa Pilipinas," he added. 

Pangilinan asked Mendoza who instructed him to sign the reports, to which he answered that it was former accounting chief Raul Catalan. 

The senator pointed out that the practice was wrong as the quality of the supplies was not really checked. 

"In other words maaaring binayaran na 'yung tao o 'yung taga-China hindi pa dine-deliver... In other words, maaaring bayad sila pero wala pa 'yung produkto. The delivery happened after binayaran," Pangilinan said. 

Mendoza admitted that this was not the "normal procedure." 

The senator also asked one Melvin Tanquintic if he also signed inspection reports without seeing the items. 

Tanquintic confirmed that there was an instance where he signed the report pending inspection of the items, saying that they were instructed by the "management" to do this.

He, however, said it was not PS-DBM former chief Christopher Lao who directed them to sign the reports. 

Senators then agreed that Catalan would be invited to attend the next inquiry to shed light on this issue. —KG, GMA News