The Commission on Audit (COA) known as on the Supreme Court, sitting as a Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), to return P13.318 million price of money deposits made by then Vice President Leni Robredo after which former Senator however now President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a result of Marcos’ ballot protest towards Robredo’s 2016 vice presidential win was dismissed by the PET in February 2021.
In its annual audit report on PET, COA stated that the P13.318 million unreturned money deposit or bail bonds payable was damaged all the way down to P8.16 million for Robredo and P5.15 for Marcos.
COA cited that Rule 33 of the 2010 Rules of the PET states that the money deposit needs to be utilized by the Tribunal to the cost of all bills to the bringing of poll bins and election paperwork or paraphernalia to the Tribunal and returning them after the case is terminated and to the compensation of members of the revision committee.
“[PET] Management was unable to return to the contending parties the unutilized cash deposits totaling P13.318 million after the Tribunal rendered its Decision as required under Rule 33 of 2010 Rules of the PET. When the Tribunal determines that the circumstances demand, it may require additional deposits. Any unused cash deposit should be returned to the protestant or counter-protestant after complete termination of the protest or counter-protest,” COA stated.
“The inability of [PET] Management to return the unutilized excess cash deposits of the protesting parties is not in conformity with Rule 33 of the 2010 Rules of PET, and places PET in unnecessary indebtedness from a private individual and the President of the Philippine Government,” COA added.
In response, the PET stated that its Accounting Division had submitted the schedule of the stability of money deposits of each events to the PET Ad Hoc Committee.
In addition, the SC stated PET issued a decision dated March 8, 2023 containing the next:
- approval of the Liquidation Reports submitted by the Fiscal Management and Budget Office (FMBO);
- order for the discharge of the remaining money deposits of each events
- authority for the FMBO to course of the discharge of the remaining balances; and
- tasking the FMBO to advise the protesting events to say their respective deposits.
COA additionally beneficial that the SC notify the protesting events of the unexpended stability of their deposit, and to withdraw the identical by advantage of the termination of the case on the revision made by PET.
In addition, COA stated the Tribunal’s FMBO ought to course of and return the unutilized money deposits of the respective protestants and counter-protestants in compliance with AM No. 10-4-29-SC, Rule 33 of the 2010 Rules of PET.
COA stated PET agreed to implement its two suggestions.
The PET dismissed Marcos’ protest vs. Robredo in February 2021 through a unanimous 15-0 vote.
Robredo beat Marcos by 263,473 votes within the 2016 vice presidential polls. Marcos, nevertheless, beat Robredo within the 2022 Presidential elections. — DVM, GMA Integrated news
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
