The Commission on Audit has called the attention of the Makati City government for spending P4.4 million in meal subsidy in 2015 for city jail inmates under the supervision of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
In a 2015 audit report released on Sept. 15, CoA said the city government reimbursed the BJMP’s city jail warden, adding that such practice was questionable due to “doubts on the propriety of utilization.”
Under the 2015 national budget, BJMP already received P1.5 billion as subsistence allowance to feed 85,224 prisoners for a year at P50 per inmate per day.
But the Makati city government allocated appropriated an additional P8.2 million for “food supplies expense” for its city jail.
CoA said another P30 was added to the meal allowance of each inmate.
“This disbursement procedure has exposed the funds to possible misuse or misappropriation considering that funds are already provided by BJMP for the meal expenses of the inmates. Reimbursement by the jail warden of food expenses incurred, although supported with documents, is tainted with doubt as to propriety of utilization,” the report read.
The state auditors said the city failed to present official receipts and certification of the total number of inmates.
“In as much as funds are appropriated for food supplies expense in the regular budget of the city, we deem that it is appropriate to transfer the same directly to BJMP. This will allow proper recording of the fund transfer and disbursement in accordance with existing laws,” CoA said.