THE Commission on Audit is calling the attention of the Cebu provincial government over possible irregularities in the procurement of 202 pieces of barong Tagalog shirts.
In a 2015 report, the Commission said the provincial government spent P159,580 in public funds to buy 202 pieces of linen polo barongs with the logo of the Philippine Councilors League embroidered in its pocket in 2014.
The shirts were brought from Alpermont Trading and Services under a purchase order on Dec. 23, 2014.
The purchase order was signed by the supplier’s representative on Dec. 22, 2014 or a day before the order date with the sales invoice also dated Dec. 22, 2014.
Verification of the acceptance and inspection report showed the items were accepted by the warehouse officer—Patrick Diaz and a representativeof the general services office head—Jone Siegfred Sepe—as complete on Dec. 22, 2014 and was also inspected, verified and found “OK” by one Nonito Candia also on the same date.
“Based on the above documents, it can be clearly seen that the Purchase Order was prepared after the delivery of the items. The Abstract of Bids which was evaluated by the Bids and Awards Committee also showed that the quotation was evaluated by the BAC on Dec. 23, 2014 or after the delivery of the items,” CoA’s report read.
Moreover, CoA said records showed the barongs Tagalog shirts were bought after the PCL’s year-end general assembly on Dec. 1 to Dec. 3, 2014 at Bayfront Hotel, Kaohsiung Street, Cebu City.
“Clearly, the above noted deficiencies reflected in the supporting documents showed the irregularities surrounding the subject procurement transaction done by the officers/personnel of the Province of Cebu,” CoA said.
A provincial board member—Carmen Remedios Meca—blamed the supplier’s inadvertence to the inconsistencies in the dates.
The supplier had already executed an affidavit that Dec. 23, 2014 should be the date she signed conforme in the purchase order and also the date of the sales invoice for the 202 pieces of polo barong.
“Delivering 202 pieces of linen barong with logos within the day you signed the contract is highly improbable, if not impossible.”
“Irregularities on dates appearing on the documents supporting every procurement, particularly the shortcuts observed in the process are clearly shown therein.”