COA flags OSG for P7M worth of foreign trips sans required documents

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) in 2018 spent a total of P7.1 million for foreign trips that lacked the required supporting documents,  the Commission on Audit observed in its agency audit report for the year.

"Airplane tickets for foreign travel amounting to P7,128,374.84 were not supported by complete documents like three quotations of travel agencies or its equivalent," the COA said, thus violating Section 4 of the State Audit Code of the Philippines and COA Circular 2012-001.

The COA report, however, did not disclose the OSG officials who traveled and their destinations.

State auditors found the OSG administrative officer-in-charge prepared the request for quotation (RFQ) and sent them to at least three travel agencies.

The AO then made an abstract of quotations naming the travel agencies who responded to the RFQ with their corresponding offers, but COA said the disbursement vouchers had the quotations.

The COA said this also allowed some OSG personnel to reimburse plane tickets, while "there was no recommendations or resolution from the [Bids and Awards Committee] on the alternative mode of procurement of plane tickets."

"Audit of disbursement vouchers and its supporting documents revealed that foreign travel lacked the three quotations while some purchases were not supported by abstract of quotations," the commission said.

"In addition, some itinerants were allowed to reimburse their airplane ticket without the price quotation and abstract of quotations to the claim," it added.

The COA urged the OSG to attach all supporting documents before making reimbursement claims and post future airplane tickets to the government bidding database in case it resorts to an alternative mode of procurement.

The OSG agreed to the recommendations of COA, noting it already submitted the documents related to its airfare and travel insurance expenses during its exit conference.

Purchase of office supplies

The COA also flagged the OSG's purchase of office supplies. It said out of the P6 million allotted for the procurement, only P547,566.97 was posted in the bidding database.

"The procurement of ordinary office supplies and equipment amounting to P5,510,697.92 thru the alternative mode of procurement without the necessary postings in the PhilGEPS website," the COA said.

It directed the OSG to post future procurement contracts in the website and in places the public can see., and verify the completeness of supporting documents first before paying contractors.

The OSG agreed to comply, according to the COA. —NB, GMA News