The Office of the Vice President (OVP) should not expect special treatment from state auditors in accounting for its confidential funds, House prosecution spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said Wednesday.
Adiong said the OVP, like other government offices, must comply with Commission on Audit (COA) requirements, including those covering confidential fund expenditures.
He made the statement after COA state auditor Xylene Mae Del Campo testified before the Senate impeachment court on the audit of the OVP’s confidential funds.
“So I guess, kung titingnan natin, ano bang gusto ng OVP (if we look at it, what does the OVP want)? Special treatment na naman (again)?” Adiong said in a press conference.
Adiong was responding to the defense’s argument that COA’s request for additional documents, including receipts, was not specifically required under the Joint Circular governing confidential and intelligence funds.
He said COA was only applying its regular audit procedures to determine whether confidential fund payments complied with government rules.
“So hindi pupuwedeng sabihin ng OVP na: ‘Hindi, wala naman nakasulat diyan specifically sa (So the OVP could not say that: ‘No, it’s not written specifically in the) Joint Circular, so why are you asking this from us?'” Adiong said.
He said the same audit requirements imposed on other agencies using confidential funds should also apply to the OVP.
“So kung usual standard yun na ginagawa ng ICFAO [Intelligence and Confidential Fund Audit Office] sa lahat ng ahensyang na na-require nila for the reward, dapat sumunod din ang OVP at hindi dapat mag-exempted (So if that’s the usual standards being used by ICFAO over all agencies that they required for the reward, the OVP must follow and should not be exempted),” Adiong said.
Adiong also disputed the argument that requiring receipts for purchases would expose the identities of confidential informants.
He said COA’s request for supporting documents gives agencies an opportunity to substantiate questioned transactions before audit findings lead to further action.
The prosecution spokesperson said supporting documents are especially important when confidential funds are used as rewards.
Del Campo earlier testified that, under the audit standards cited in the proceedings, payments must be supported by evidence showing that the intelligence or surveillance activity was successfully carried out.
Adiong said the absence of a specific provision in the Joint Circular does not exempt the OVP from established COA audit procedures.
The issue was raised during the prosecution’s presentation of COA findings on the use of confidential funds by the OVP and the Department of Education in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. (PNA)