The Department of Health said it is ready to face any investigation following a Commission on Audit report on “deficiencies” in the use of its P67-billion COVID-19 response funds.
“We are open to all types of investigation. Hindi po kami aatras diyan (We will not avoid that),” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
“These P67 billion in funds are well accounted for. We were able to utilize almost 98 percent of all the funds given to us since the start of the pandemic,” she added.
Vergeire said the DOH was given until September 27 to submit the required documents but the department would accomplish the requirements as early as next week.
“We are doubling our efforts to get these [documents ready] and we will not wait for that specific timeline to address the report,” she said.
“DOH has always been transparent. All the money that was provided for pandemic response is well accounted for,” she added.
COA clarified on Friday it did not find “deficiencies” linked to corruption in its report.
“The report itself does not mention any findings by the auditors of funds lost to corruption,” COA said in a statement.
“As an example, some of the findings of deficiencies involving COVID-19 funds amounting to P67.3 billion resulted from the non-submission of documentation or supporting papers, which the DOH may still submit in compliance with the auditor’s recommendation. Of the P67.3 billion, P42.4 billion consisted of fund transfers to procurement/implementing partner-agencies without the required documentation. There is no finding that this amount cannot be accounted for,” COA explained.
COA said it was “premature” to make conclusions on the findings as the audit process “has not been completed.”
