PSA flagged on missing PhilSys equipment

State auditors have flagged the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) over P12.98 million in missing government equipment, raising serious concerns regarding property management and the potential misuse of public assets.

In its latest annual audit report, the Commission on Audit (CoA) revealed that three regional offices of the PSA could not account for various Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) registration kits, as well as information and communications technology equipment, including laptops, scanners and monitors.

The agency’s National Capital Region office recorded the bulk of the losses, accounting for P10.05 million in missing hardware intended for PhilSys registration operations.

CoA also uncovered unaccounted kits and paraphernalia in Region III valued at P130,118 and in Region IV totaling P2.8 million.

Auditors noted that the missing equipment was not properly recognized in the agency’s books of accounts and lacked corresponding property turnover receipts required to establish asset ownership and tracking.

Furthermore, accountable officers applied for relief from financial liability without submitting the necessary supporting documentation.

“The issuance of demand letters, determination of accountability, conduct of investigation, recognition of losses in the books, establishment of receivables from accountable officers, and request for authority to derecognize the assets, had not yet been undertaken,” CoA stated in the report.

In response to the audit findings, PSA management informed state auditors that internal investigations are underway to trace the last known locations of the missing equipment and determine the circumstances surrounding the losses.

The agency added that it reported the missing laptops in Metro Manila to law enforcement authorities and established a Fraud Management Committee.

Despite those measures, state auditors maintained that the widespread losses reflect significant weaknesses in the PSA’s property management and internal control systems, preventing the government from verifying the existence and physical condition of public assets.