PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte bared Wednesday, March 6, his plan to meet with officials from the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Office of the Ombudsman to broach his idea of simplifying audit mechanisms before end of 2019.
Duterte made the remark in a speech delivered at Palace, as he once again vented frustrations over too much stringent requirement for a government project.
"So I just let it pass but maybe if I have time -- I am so busy -- I’d like to sit with the Executive Secretary (Salvador Medialdea) and maybe invite some guys from the Ombudsman and auditing office. And let’s agree on certain procedures," the President said.
"I do not really see the rationale of these requirements. But some stupid enterprising guys would just come up to make money. What for? Kasi pupunta pa kami dito (Because we have to go there), get those requirements, and you have to spend money following up considering the monster of traffic that you have to deal with," he added.
The COA, a state audit agency, is tasked to promulgate accounting and auditing rules and regulations to prevent any irregular or excessive uses of government funds.
The Ombudsman, on the other hand, is mandated to hear complaints against government officials committing grave offenses, as well as irregularities in use of large sums of public funds.
It could be recalled that Duterte, in an event in Pasay City on January 9, joked that "kidnapping" and "torturing" COA executives would serve as a good punishment, as they make it difficult for government offices to deliver immediate basic services to the people.
In his latest speech, Duterte said he respects COA chief Michael Aguinaldo, but stressed that he could not accept some "crazy" state auditors allegedly inclined to impose "stupid" audit rules.
"Kasi ako naman sinabi ko noon, ipa-kidnap mo ‘yung mga taga sa auditing kasi kung anu-ano na lang rin ang pinaglalagay kasi. Iyong regulations nila nag-patong doon sa... They add more and more regulations and it dito nag... It could not really be corruption but it could be shortsightedness or plain, I will not follow that because that is stupid," he said.
(That's why I said before, kidnap those who are working at the auditing office because they are asking for too much requirements. They have so many regulations. They add more and more regulations. It could not really be corruption but it could be shortsightedness or plain, I will not follow that because that is stupid.)
"Kaya lahat ng mga auditors natin medyo may katok (So all of our state auditors are somehow crazy). They are lost in a maze of so many requirements, some are really stupid. I do not want to insult them. I have healthy respect for... Who is this guy? Aguinaldo," he added.
To resolve the issue, Duterte said he would tell COA personnel about his plan to "simplify" rules and regulations when it comes to auditing.
He added that he would seek Congress's intervention, if state auditors refuse to heed his proposal.
"Let’s simplify matters before the end of the year. I will just suggest and if it is accepted by all fine, if not then, gusto kong isali ‘yung Congress (I will ask Congress to intervene)," the President said. (SunStar Philippines)