Senate grills Comelec over P1B lot purchase

[Axelremadeyo]

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Senators slammed the Commission on Elections Thursday for buying a P1.19 billion property in Pasay City for its new headquarters without the proper authority, in budget hearings that have already uncovered the poll body’s purchase of seven king-size beds for more than P91,000 each.
“There appears to be a gross violation of the Constitution on the part of the Comelec when they decided to use their P3.5 billion savings to purchase a piece of land worth P1.188 billion,” said Senator Franklin Drilon, chairman of the Senate finance committee. “Somebody can take this to the Ombudsman for technical malversation.”
Drilon added that the Comelec has admitted entering into a contract with the Philippine Retirement Authority to buy the property, and paying a P250-million advance.
At Thursday’s hearing, Drilon and Senate Minority Floor Leader Alan Peter Cayetano asked Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes what was the legal basis for the Comelec’s move.
“Did you have authority to use these savings to buy land and building? There is no authority whatsoever under the 2012 [General Appropriations Act] for the Comelec to purchase land for a building. That is the role of Congress,” said Drilon.
Brillantes said the Comelec could do so because it had fiscal autonomy as a constitutional body, but the senators disagreed.
Drilon said the Comelec could not invoke fiscal autonomy without first securing approval from Congress, which alone can authorize the spending of public funds.
“The Comelec’s position is totally wrong,” he said.
He added that under the Constitution, the Comelec may dip into its savings only to augment funding for projects already authorized in the General Appropriations Act.
“Without any appropriation for a main building and field office in the 2012 General Appropriations Act, they re-aligned their savings to buy land and building, but this purchase is not authorized in the budget,” said Drilon.
“There is no authority of whatsoever under the 2012 General Appropriations Act for Comelec to purchase land for a building. That is the role of Congress, to appropriate [funds] to specific items,” he added.
But Brillantes insisted that the poll body’s action was “similar” to those taken by other constitutional bodies such as the Commission on Audit, the Commission on Human Rights, the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman.
“We are always in consultation with each other so if we committed a mistake, it’s the mistake of the entire group,” he said.
Earlier this month, the senators took the Comelec to task for buying overpriced beds for vacation cottages that it owns in Baguio City.
The hearings on the Comelec’s proposed P8.4 billion budget for 2013 continue on Sept. 13.

i hope the comelec will not be found of using peoples money para paburuton ilang bulsa. another black eye napud ni ......

Senate grills Comelec over P1B lot purchase - Manila Standard Today - Daily news, current events, latest news in the Philippines - Manila Standard Today

[cobraKing]

kick back system sa comelec...

[eezychair]

A lot of people seem to think they are above the law these days. How can COMELEC think they're doing the right thing with their savings? Guess their up next for the lifting of fiscal autonomy after the Judiciary...

[Axelremadeyo]

mag usik usik og kwarta sa katawhan over these mindless purchases.

[rare_phoenix]

But Brillantes insisted that the poll body’s action was “similar” to those taken by other constitutional bodies such as the Commission on Audit, the Commission on Human Rights, the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman.
“We are always in consultation with each other so if we committed a mistake, it’s the mistake of the entire group,” he said.


HAHAHAHAHA!!
One for all, all for one??
I wonder who's next
Please keep this thread updated!!

[Renz8]

Dli man jud pwede nga magamit ang savings pagpa tukod ug building sa Comelec kai wala man na pagtugot sa Congress w/c under the law has the sole power of appropriating money for government projects magamit na nila ang savings sa kadto existing nila nga projects nga nag kulang sa pundo dli sila magbout bout lng.Kai wala man jud na sila own building nag rent ra mana sila aw hangyo sila Pnoy nga magpatukod sila w/c is the right protocol.........

[King LeBron]

mao ni one of the reasons nga ang FOI bill wala jud kauswagan.. paeta this country.. smh

[King LeBron]

malingaw ko aning brillantes.. obvious kaayo nga naay something fishy.. kay basta i-ask, ang tubag kay layo ra kaayo sa pangutana.. i-change topic dayon! hahahaha..

ang tubag niya anang 91k nga bed sa Headstart? tiguwang na daw siya, dapat sad daw comfortable iyang higdaanan.. plus dili ra sad kuno siya nag-gamit ra sa cottage.. napay laing mga officials sa comelec.. in fact, panag-sa ra kuno siya mo-stay didto.. wtpak?? sakto ba na nga reasoning? pagka-ASYOSO na lang jud! murag iyahang kwarta... pffftt!!

[hobie]

Very inconsiderate people. Imbis kay nay savings, e waldas man nuon. Laliman ka ana 1B, dako na kau na nga kantidad. Life changing value.

[vahnhelsing]

^^gamay ra na ang 1 B para sa mga buaya sa atong nasod.. gusto gani ana nila ilahon ang tanan.