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COA 'commenced' special audit on Pharmally deals, might be finished before 2021

By CONSUELO MARQUEZ, GMA News

The Commission on Audit (COA) on Thursday bared that they have started the special audit on the controversial deals of Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (PS-DBM) with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.

During the 10th hearing of Senate blue ribbon committee on the alleged overpriced COVID-19 supply procurement, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon asked COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo if they found a basis to conduct a deeper audit into the PS-DBM deals.

"Actually Mr. Chairman, the special audit has already commenced. There has been a request during the budget hearing of the House... We expanded it into a special audit," said Aguinaldo.

He also noted that they will include documents revealed during the Senate probe into the Pharmally mess.

When pressed on the deadline of the audit, Aguinaldo said a special audit usually takes 45 days but his team would need more time to conduct a deeper analysis into these deals.

"We expect it before year end perhaps, baka makatapos (might finish it by that time)," Aguinaldo told Drilon.

In response, the minority leader requested that the special audit be completed sooner so it can help legislators in their probe into the controversial deals.

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"Hopefully you can help us in unearthing the truth in these transactions. If you can have it earlier, baka mas mabuti (might be better) so we can look at your findings... If that is feasible, Mr. Chairman," said Drilon.

The COA chairman said they "will do their best" to fast track the audit, adding that they will expand their teams to do so.

Previously, Drilon requested COA and Ombudsman to conduct an investigation into the P8.68 billion worth of face masks, face shields, and personal protective equipment that were purchased by PS-DBM from Pharmally during the pandemic.

During a previous House hearing, COA said they did not mention that the COVID-19 supply procurement was overpriced, but noted that they were only able to audit transfer of funds from the Department of Health to PS-DBM.—AOL, GMA News