Lacson: I Upheld COA Authority, Not ‘Liquidation by Certification’

“Long and short: I NEVER espoused bypassing the authority of the Commission on Audit (COA). In fact, I CORRECTED the situation involving ‘liquidation by certification’ with the COA and the House of Representatives.”

Former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson thus debunked repeated lies from some sectors claiming that a resolution he authored in 2011 “legalized corruption” by letting lawmakers account for expenses via certification.

Related: Ping: Kapangyarihan ng COA, Hindi ‘Liquidation by Certification’ ang Nanaig

Lacson pointed out that Concurrent Resolution 10, which he filed and which was adopted in 2011, actually rectified the practice of liquidation by certification, which was a practice in Congress since it reopened in 1987.

He stressed that while Concurrent Resolution 10 contains a threshold amount, it is clear that even this is still subject to audit by the COA.

“When I was Chairman of the Senate Committee on Accounts, along with COA and the House of Representatives, we corrected that practice by putting a threshold amount of P500,000 to be liquidated by certification – but still subject to COA audit, since the Constitution provides that NO public funds SHALL be exempted from COA audit,” he said.

“The amount was to be used to expedite and facilitate cash assistance for medical and other emergency needs of constituents who used to flock daily to the offices of senators and congressmen,” he added.

Also, Lacson pointed out that Concurrent Resolution 10 – which cites Sec. 20, Art. VI of the Constitution that the books of accounts in Congress be audited by the COA – does not excuse anyone from liquidating through official receipts and other verifiable documents, much less from being audited by the COA. “NOBODY in government is exempted from COA audit,” he stressed.

He added that throughout his years in public service, he has been consistent in complying with all the existing COA regulations, much more with the required submission of liquidation instruments when I was in the Senate.

“Thus, when the COA first conducted a special audit of Congress, I was the first one who submitted the receipts and related documents,” he said.

Lacson, who is running for senator as an independent candidate with his credo “Ang tama ay ipaglaban, ang mali ay labanan (What is right must be kept right, what is wrong must be set right),” reiterated his appeal to netizens to verify what they see online, so they would not be easily swayed by false information concocted by his detractors and fake news peddlers.

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Ping: Kapangyarihan ng COA, Hindi ‘Liquidation by Certification’ ang Nanaig

“Long and short: I NEVER espoused bypassing the authority of the Commission on Audit (COA). In fact, I CORRECTED the situation involving ‘liquidation by certification’ with the COA and the House of Representatives.”

Iginiit ito ni dating Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson sa kanyang pagtuwid sa paulit-ulit na kasinungalingan ng ilan na ang ginawang legal ang korapsyon dahil sa resolusyon na ihinain niya noong 2011, dahil diumano’y pinahintulot nito ang liquidation via certification.

Ani Lacson, ang Concurrent Resolution 10 na ihinain niya at pinagtibay noong 2011, ay tumuwid sa kalakarang liquidation by certification sa Kongreso mula pa noong nagbukas muli ito noong 1987.

Diin ni Lacson, bagama’t may “threshold amount” ang Concurrent Resolution 10, malinaw ito na pati ito ay kailangan ding i-audit ng COA.

“When I was Chairman of the Senate Committee on Accounts, along with COA and the House of Representatives, we corrected that practice by putting a threshold amount of P500,000 to be liquidated by certification – but still subject to COA audit, since the Constitution provides that NO public funds SHALL be exempted from COA audit,” ani Lacson.

“The amount was to be used to expedite and facilitate cash assistance for medical and other emergency needs of constituents who used to flock daily to the offices of senators and congressmen,” dagdag niya.

Ipinunto rin ni Lacson na sa Concurrent Resolution 10 na kumikilala sa Sec. 20, Art. VI ng Saligang Batas na ang mga books of accounts ng Kongreso ay dapat i-audit ng COA, walang makakalusot sa pag-liquidate gamit ang opisyal na resibo at ibang dokumento, o sa audit ng COA. “NOBODY in government is exempted from COA audit,” diin niya.

Dagdag niya, sa tagal niya bilang lingkod bayan, sumusunod siya sa regulasyon ng COA, lalo na sa pagsumite ng liquidation instruments noong siya ay nasa Senado.

“Thus, when the COA first conducted a special audit of Congress, I was the first one who submitted the receipts and related documents,” aniya.

Nanawagan si Lacson, na tumatakbo para senador bilang independent candidate na may kredong “Ang tama ay ipaglaban, ang mali ay labanan,” sa mga netizen na beripikahin ang nababasa nila, para hindi sila malinlang ng pekeng impormasyon na nilalako ng mga naninira sa kanya, at ng mga nagkakalat ng fake news.

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