Anti-corruption move: Lawmaker seeks amendments to 43-year-old State Audit Code

By Billy Begas

A vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations on Monday moved to amend the 43-year old State Audit Code of the Philippines to make auditing of government funds better to combat corruption and inefficiencies.

Misamis Oriental Rep. Juliette Uy explained that the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines became law under Presidential Decree 1445 in 1978. It establishes the basic design, architecture, policies, and processes that govern the operations and functions of the Commission on Audit (COA) and how government accounting and auditing is conducted.

Uy said that the law should contain the concept of Citizen’s Suit where ordinary citizens will be given the power to file substantiated charges on fraud, graft, and corruption in the use of public funds.

The lady solon also underscored the need to strengthen the current Internal Controls, which are the systems, mechanisms, and processes that make sure that public funds are spent where it should be.

“I noticed that the State Audit Code has merely a few mentions of the word ‘fraud’ and derivatives of the word. More glaring is there are no provisions on exactly how to conduct fraud detection and the timely detection of fraud,” Uy said.

Uy also said that the law should be more explicit on deadlines when documents and reports must be submitted.

She said the penalties for violators of auditing laws should be updated and repeated unjustified failure to comply with the requirements “shall be conclusive proof that the public officer concerned is notoriously undesirable.”

At present, violators can be meted with a P1,000 fine or by imprisonment not exceeding six months.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)