Cayetano calls for parallel audit of Senate finances with COA

(Updated 4:26 p.m.) Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday called for a parallel audit of the Senate finances by the Commission on Audit (COA) and a private firm.

 

"On Monday I will have my staff file a resolution calling for a parallel audit with the Commission on Audit (COA)," Cayetano told reporters at a press conference at the Senate.

 

He said the private audit can be under the COA or it can be an independent people's audit.

 

"Tama si [COA] chairperson [Grace Pulido-Tan] sila lang ang pwedeng official audit. Hindi ko hinihingi na official yung audit. Ang hinihingi ko, transparency and accountability... malaman lang ng tao [ang totoo]," he said.

 

Cayetano said he specifically wants to know how the P250,000 so-called cash gift to the senators was liquidated by Enrile and whether around P500 million in Senate funds is really just liquidated by certification.

 

"Di naman kailangan professional audit at yung bawat singko sa dalawang bilyon, ang gusto lang makita ng tao masilip ang mga dokumento ng Senate at tingnan kung nasa ayos," he said, although saying it would be easier if Enrile would just provide the documents needed.

 

He issued the statement after some senators said that there may be some constitutional issues if the audit is done solely by an independent firm.

 

Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the COA "shall have the power, authority, and duty to examine, audit, and settle all accounts pertaining to the revenue and receipts of, and expenditures or uses of funds and property, owned or held in trust by, or pertaining to, the Government, or any of its subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters, and on a post-audit basis: 

 

(a) constitutional bodies, commissions and offices that have been granted fiscal autonomy under this Constitution; (b) autonomous state colleges and universities; (c) other government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries; and (d) such non-governmental entities receiving subsidy or equity, directly or indirectly, from or through the Government, which are required by law or the granting institution to submit to such audit as a condition of subsidy or equity.

 

Cayetano, however, said that "there is no constitutional or legal impediment to a private audit."

 

"And I am shocked that the COA will say if Cayetano wants it pay for it. I never asked COA to pay for it but the Senate can pay for it. Ang importante, matuloy ito," he said.

 

But he noted that he wasn't doubting COA's integrity or capability.  

 

He explained that it just makes sense to conduct an independent audit since COA gets its funds from the Senate and some of its officials get their appointment confirmation from the chamber.

 

"Sila ang iniiwas ko sa intriga pero never ko prinopose na alisin sa kanila na sila ang may duty mag-audit," he said, although saying COA on its own can also come out with a report on how the Senate funds are being spent and accounted for.

 

"I would like to tell the COA... the people are behind you. Lahat kami buo ang tiwala sa inyo so SP man yan, senador, kung sinuman makakabangga ninyo, wag kayo mag-aalala dahil tuwid na daan ngayon," he said.

 

In her statement earlier in the day, Enrile's chief of staff Gigi Reyes said the Senate President had the documents to support the chamber's expenses but that he didn't show them because he was afraid other senators "may be unduly placed in a bad light."

 

Cayetano, however, said this was just an excuse.

 

"Kaya may kasabihan po tayo sa Pilipino, kapag gusto may paraan pag ayaw maraming dahilan," he said.

 

The senator likewise said that he was "confident" that senators would be able to justify their budget and expenses.

 

As for possibly changing the process of liquidation, he said maybe they can start a discussion on it.

 

"Our budget also needs some sort of flexibility," he said. — RSJ, GMA News