The COA should audit government funds paid to the Philippine Red Cross, according to Malacañang.
On Monday, Malacañang said that the Commission on Audit (COA) should audit government funds paid to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
Insofar as the Philippine Red Cross received government support, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday said in a Presidential press briefing that the non-government organization must be audited by state auditors.
Roque added that the Commission on Audit should look into the humanitarian organization’s RT-PCR test service — including if senior citizens received a discount on their tests.
“Unang-una, yung sinabi ni Presidente, binibigay ba ang benepisyo sa mga senior citizens? Ang alam ko halos lahat ng makina ng Red Cross ay donated, pero bakit ang singil ay ₱4,000? Dapat kung donated ang machines dapat mas mababa sa ₱4,000 ang singil sa RT-PCR. Ngayon po, sa paguutos ng Presidente, gusto niya malaman sa PhilHealth, ‘Bakit kayo nagbayad ng ₱4,000?’,” Roque said.
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Roque’s statement came after President Rodrigo Duterte earlier demanded a full audit report on the Philippine Red Cross as he accused PRC Chairman Senator Richard Gordon of using the organization’s funds for his electoral campaigns.
Also, President Duterte accused the Philippine Red Cross of violating the Republic Act No. 9994 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act) for supposedly not giving the elderly a discount for its RT-PCR tests, which have “astronomical rates”.
Earlier, Senator Gordon dismissed the accusations and the Commission on Audit already said that it “does not have the jurisdiction to audit the organization”. However, Roque maintained that the Philippine Red Cross should still be audited by the Commission on Audit.
“Ito may involve not only public funds but also meron din ditong issues of good governance,” Roque said.
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