Duterte: COA to look into Red Cross' subsidies from gov't

The Commission on Audit (COA) will start to look into the subsidies and fund transfers to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) from the national government over the past five years, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday.

In his weekly Talk to the People, Duterte said COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo had signed a memorandum authorizing state auditors to compile audit findings on government subsidies to the humanitarian organization.

Duterte had asked Aguinaldo to conduct an audit into the PRC, which Senator Richard Gordon leads as chairman.

Gordon is the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee which is now investigating the  probe into the alleged irregularities in the multi-billion-peso COVID-19 supplies deal with Pharmally Pharmaceuticals in 2020.

"Tinawagan ko si Chairman Aguinaldo and he has signed a memorandum dated Sept. 23 2021," Duterte said.

Duterte said Aguinaldo directed all sector heads directors and OICs of COA's central and regional offices, and all others concerned, to submit to the fraud audit office and special services and sector compilation of audit findings on subsidies and or fund transfer received and utilized by PRC covering period of January 2016 to September 2021.

"And to submit of duly signed summary of subsidies and funds received by PRC in the same period," Duterte said.

He thanked the Office of the Solicitor General for the "prompt action" of his directive to request an audit of the PRC.

Duterte also acknowledged COA but reminded state auditors to also collect P140 million in government funds from Gordon, which stemmed from the senator's time as chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

"However, may I remind COA of their constitutional duty to collect the P140 million from the SBMA during Gordon's time," he said.

He also took a swipe at Gordon for allegedly not returning the said funds.

"Nagmamalinis ka (Gordon). That's what I'm saying, you have practically painted everybody black because you wanted to appear white... Bayaran mo, marami ka namang pera diyan. Yang disallowance, personal mo yan," Duterte said. -NB, GMA News