(Eagle News) — Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Wednesday, Feb. 13, dared Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. to reveal the name of the supposed high-ranking government official who received illegal commissions from contractors who already won contracts.
Diokno issued the statement after Andaya claimed the “favored contractors” who had made the advances to that official for the projects covered by the P75 billion in the proposed national budget for 2019 wanted the money returned after the Senate and the House of Representatives deleted the “insertion.”
According to Diokno, in the first place, such “commissions” and advance payments were illegal, and were considered graft.
He said “reputable” contractors would not resort to such a practice.
“I do not know what the practice was when Andaya was Budget secretary but under our watch, advance payments of commissions are considered illegal. Such practices are not, and will not be condoned by the Duterte administration,” Diokno said, noting that the government official, if indeed Andaya’s claim was true, should be investigated.
Early procurement
Addressing criticisms against early procurement, Diokno said this has been allowed since 2009, under then-Budget Secretary Andaya himself.
He said this was “guided by circulars to ensure agency compliance with the existing Procurement Law, its Implementing Rules and Regulations, and other pertinent rules and regulations..”
For instance, based on Circular 01-2009 issued under Andaya’s time as budget chief, agencies can proceed with procurement activities using as basis the National Expenditure Program before the issuance of the Notice of Award.
DBM Circular Letter 2010-9, Diokno said, reiterates the same.
“The DBM has even sought to institutionalize early procurement as a best practice to meet global standards in government efficiency, as is the practice in many developed countries,” Diokno said.
In any case, he said “in early procurement, the contract is not perfected until the General Appropriations Act is passed.”
