Briones uninformed on P101-B national treasury losses - Palace

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday said former national treasurer Leonor Briones was “uninformed and misinformed” on her allegations that a portion of the P101-billion losses in the national treasury was spent during the current administration.

“My suggestion to her is to really sift through the COA (Commission on Audit) report and see if there was indeed such a statement that it was under the Aquino administration,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

“She shouldn’t go by press releases or press statements or press reports. She should go by the original report itself and that COA did say that,” Lacierda added.

Lacierda said the claim of Briones, an official of the NGO Freedom from Debt Coalition, that corruption had “worsened and is pervasive as ever” under the Aquino administration is “absolutely false.”

He cited the letter of COA chair Grace Tan clarifying the COA report.

Citing the COA report, Briones said losses in the national treasury amounting to P101 billion during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo showed that a portion of the unaccounted funds was spent during the Aquino administration.

Briones told a forum in Manila Tuesday that it is unfair to blame the past administration for government losses.

She added that contrary to claims that corruption has been curbed, irregularities in disbursements of funds increased during the Aquino administration.