Sumbungan was launched in CARAGA led by former Chairman of Civil Service Commission Miss Constantino David to help the country eliminate graft and corruption. What is its difference from other anti corruption watchdogs organized in the past?
In order to put a face to alleged corruption in Agusan del Sur, it was reported that a certain Mr. Bob Aquino a defeated congressional candidate of district 1 in Agusan del sur filed corruption cases against some former and incumbent officials of the said province at the Ombudsman using the COA annual audit reports from 2005 to 2010 stating that almost one billion pesos of unliquidated funds. I earlier posted this comment at Phillstar which attracted a comment from somebody, to wit;
The documents supporting this complaint of Mr. Bob Aquino against some former and incumbent officials of Agusan del Sur are the COA annual audit reports from 2005 to 2010. Why does it need for a citizen especially a politician like Bob Aquino to file the complaint when COA could have done it itself not just against officials of Agusan del Sur who may have committed irregularities but all public officials in all local government units all over the country who are found to have committed irregularities in the management of public funds? If COA does the filing of cases at the Ombudsman on its own, then real reforms will take place all over the country and new potential leaders will come out in 2013 as the erring incumbent officials will not be able to run due to disqualification or at the least be exposed to the people for who they are!
The documents supporting this complaint of Mr. Bob Aquino against some former and incumbent officials of Agusan del Sur are the COA annual audit reports from 2005 to 2010. Why does it need for a citizen especially a politician like Bob Aquino to file the complaint when COA could have done it itself not just against officials of Agusan del Sur who may have committed irregularities but all public officials in all local government units all over the country who are found to have committed irregularities in the management of public funds? If COA does the filing of cases at the Ombudsman on its own, then real reforms will take place all over the country and new potential leaders will come out in 2013 as the erring incumbent officials will not be able to run due to disqualification or at the least be exposed to the people for who they are!
talespin replied:
This is now the problem why COA stay silent as they could have filed the complaints before the Ombudsman. IN this situtaion COA seemed to be a mere bystander, inutile in the campaign against corruption
It is therefore my suggestion that anti corruption watchdogs like Sumbungan train their guns at COA to do their job better as it is their mandate to safeguard the funds of the people and especially that corresponding funds have been appropriated for their operations. If one wants to see the annual audit reports of COA on all local government units, one just needs to visit www.coa.gov.ph. Following the windowpane theory, COA should focus on prosecuting erring officials who are guilty of technical malversations especially of trust funds, non remittance of the GSIS premiums collected from employees, overpricing of goods purchased like multicabs where its price is common knowledge and ghost employees and employees paid for by the government but working as househelps in some officials' houses. By so doing all officials and employees, big time and small time will be on their toes in not abusing and misusing public funds. The COA reports are just there waiting to be used in implementing the matuwid na daan of this adminstration and perhaps it will be much different if Sumbungan will be the one to pressure COA.
I have communicated this idea to COA a few weeks back but it seems that my suggestion fell on deaf ears!
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