‘No anomaly in P647.11 million disbursement during Asean’

MANILA, Philippines — There is no anomaly in the disbursement of P647.11 million for an information caravan during the country’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2017, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) undersecretary for finance Noel Puyat said yesterday.

The matter is the subject of a resolution filed by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

“The finance and budget divisions are preparing all necessary documents and we will present such to the Senate if requested,” Puyat said.

“Anyways we have the COA (Commission on Audit) certification that no said audit report exists, and there’s no ongoing investigation in black and white. And I think that is the best evidence to prove that no said investigation or report exists, if it comes from COA itself,” he added.

Puyat said he is ready to attend the Senate inquiry if invited.

He denied reports of the purported fund misuse, adding that the COA’s annual audit report on the PCOO is still undergoing final review at the record cluster, section offices of the agency’s National Government System-COA.

Puyat also quoted the letter from Edna Salaguban, supervising auditor, who maintained that there is no ongoing investigation.

“As of today, as far as the COA PCOO audit is concerned, we do not have any knowledge on ongoing investigation of a P647.11-million fund,” Salaguban’s letter read.