Why didn’t you stop PDAF?–SC to COA

Supreme Court of the Philippines. Photo by Mike Gonzales courtesy of Wiki Commons. 

MANILA — The Commission on Audit was asked to explain why it failed to release notices of disallowance (NDs) which should have covered the billions of Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) from 2007 to 2009.

The Supreme Court (SC) demanded the explanation through a resolution handed to reporters by a court insider yesterday.

COA Chairman Grace Pulido-Tan along with COA special audit office director Susana Garcia was asked to answer within 10 days the petition for mandamus filed by former senatorial candidate and ex-Manila councilor, Greco Belgica.

“It is crystal clear that the tenacity of the respondents not to issue the NDs, despite being reminded of their duties/promise, constitutes defiance of the commands of the fundamental law, the Administrative Code and Republic Act 6713 (General Auditing Code) and the 2009 Revised Rules of Procedure of the Commission on Audit,” Belgica said in a 21-page petition.

He added that Tan, who is an auditor of the government should demonstrate “honesty and integrity by showing transparency, in all transactions in the government, rather than protecting certain alleged misconduct.”

Belgica contested that Tan’s actions can be considered an act which constitute an “inexcusable neglect, paranoia-like fear, and indifference anathema to our system of public accountability and to the principle of transparency enshrined in the Constitution.”