BY MARTIN SADONGDONG
The Department of National Defense (DND) has ceased the renovation project of its comfort rooms in its headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City after the Commission on Audit (COA) questioned its “impractical, uneconomical, and unnecessary” spending.
In a statement Monday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana acknowledged the findings of the COA which chided the DND for spending P553,807.62 in public funds for the installation of hot and cold shower, and air-conditioning units in male, female and PWD (persons with disability) restrooms.
The said upgrade is part of a P6.4-million beautification project of the DND in its restrooms located in the basement and ground floor to third floor, in the South Wing area of the DND building.
“The COA is the body that evaluates if the people’s money is spent wisely. It does not mean that if a project has been approved by Congress, the COA can no longer audit it according to its mandate,” the Defense chief said.
“It can disallow it or it can raise a red flag that the money has not been used properly,” he added.
Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong, in a separate statement, said Lorenzana has immediately ordered the stoppage of the renovation project after learning about the COA’s findings.
“In response to the findings, Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has ordered the discontinuance of the renovation project and removal from the comfort rooms of the air-conditioning units in question, which will instead be used in other approved facilities,” he said.
In an audit report on the DND released last Friday, state auditors said the expenditure violated Presidential Decree 1445 that provides policies for the “prevention of irregular, unnecessary, excessive or extravagant expenditures of funds or uses of property.”
According to the DND, it is trying to improve its facilities to catch up with the fast pace of modernization, cope with ISO standards, and in consideration to all visiting foreign and local dignitaries.
It added that the upgraded facilities could help personnel to improve their performance.
COA, however, dismissed the DND’s reasoning. (Martin A. Sadongdong)
