CoA flags OSG over P1-M travel

For the second time, the Commission on Audit (CoA) has flagged the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) over its P1.169 million foreign and local travels with no adequate supporting documents.

In its annual report, the commission said the audit and liquidation reports of the OSG’s 17 officers and employees granted with cash advances for local and foreign travels last year were not properly documented.

This was not the first time that the commission flagged the agency for failing to submit complete documentation for travels. In 2019, the CoA also cited the OSG for P7.128 million-worth of travels without adequate documents.

The CoA said the liquidation reports lack certification from the head of the agency authorizing the claims of hotel accommodation, certificate of participation, and training report.

This was in violation of CoA circular 2020-001 and Presidential Decree 1445.

The circular states that expenses for local travel should be justified with certificate of attendance, as well as certification by the head of agency as to the absolute necessity of the expenses together with corresponding bills or receipts. Expenses for foreign travels should be justified with certificate of appearance and narrative report on trip undertaken.

PD 1445, meanwhile, states that claim against government shall be supported with complete documentation.