The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will have a lot of explaining to do over its purchase of a P7.8-million bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which was flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA).
Senators on Tuesday (July 11) reminded the PCG that they used taxpayers’ money in using P4.9 million worth of Petron rebates to buy the sports utility vehicle, on top of the P2.8 million to make it bulletproof supposedly to secure their commandant.
They will have to explain the luxurious purchase to lawmakers during the budget deliberations this year, according to Senate minority leader Koko Pimentel.
“We will question (it) during budget season,” Pimentel said.
The PCG should have also known that a Malacañang administrative order prohibited purchases of luxury vehicles in government, according to Senator Sonny Angara, who will defend the proposed 2024 budget as finance committee chair.
“Dapat aware sila sa mga admin issuances at sa mga polisiya ng gobyerno sa pagbili ng mga sasakyan. Yan ang trabaho ng mga abogado at legal officers nila,” Angara said.
For his part, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who chairs the ways and means committee, said government agencies should exercise prudence in spending public money.
“Principle wise, dapat ang mga ahensya natin, lahat, maging judicious o maging maalaga sa pera ng taumbayan. Tandaan natin, hindi natin pera yan. Pera ito ng taumbayan at dapat gastusin lang natin ang dapat nating gastusin para magawa natin ang trabaho natin nang maayos,” Gatchalian said during the “Kapihan sa Senado” forum.
“Hindi ako makakomento in detail doon sa dalawa dahil hindi ko pa nabasa in detail yung COA report, but in principle dapat lagi natin tandaan hindi natin pera ito, pera ito ng taumbayan, alagaan natin,” he added.
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