Palace Justifies PPA’s Infinity Pool; Esperon Denies Fund Transfers To NTF-ELCAC

Malacañang defended on Monday, Aug. 23, the construction of a P6.5-million infinity pool at the Philippine Ports Authority’s (PPA) training compound in San Fernando, La Union, saying this was "essential" and not an “extravagant” purchase.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the pool is essential as it is used in the training of port police personnel for emergency and rescue activities.

“This is not an extravagant infinity pool, it is merely an engineering and structure design element,” Roque said at a media briefing, quoting PPA general manager Jay Santiago.

He said a study showed that a continuous flow or infinity pool is better than a conventional pool as water is continuously filtered and replaced.

Roque added Section 69 of the PPA Charter allows the construction of a training pool.

In its 2020 report, the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the “unnecessary” construction of the infinity pool at the PPA training compound in La Union.

COA said the PPA spent around P10.8 million for its training compound, including the P6.58-million infinity pool and a jacuzzi, guest rooms, pergola, and decorative rockwall.

“Despite the adequacy of the facilities and amenities, management (PPA) still pursued the construction of the new structures without any supporting feasibility study, and seemingly, without regard for money,” COA said.

NTF-ELCAC

Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. belied allegations that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has been receiving funding from government agencies.

Esperon, vice chairman of NTF-ELCAC, said the Commission on Audit reports, which insinuated irregularities in the use of government money, are being misinterpreted by party-list groups in the House of Representatives.

Women’s group Gabriela has filed a resolution seeking a probe into the alleged fund transfers.

Esperon said government agencies and local government units, as members of the NTF-ELCAC, combine their own funds for programs that seek to address the issues exploited by the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army.

“There are no fund transfers to the NTF-ELCAC. Each government agency implements and funds its activities through appropriations in the GAA (General Appropriations Act),” Esperon told re-porters at a virtual press briefing.

He said the NTF-ELCAC welcomed the probe being pushed by Gabriela.

Can’t reconfigure

In another development, Sen. Risa Hontiveros took the floor on Monday to slam President Duterte for asking the COA to “reconfigure” its reports on various agencies.

She said the work of the COA is even more important today as Filipinos must make sure that every peso of taxpayers’ money must be accounted for, given the severe economic difficulties brought about by the pandemic.

“It is not only that the COA is supposed to be independent, the Constitution – and here I am quoting the Supreme Court itself – ‘grants the COA the exclusive authority to define the scope of its audit and examination and establish the techniques and methods therefore.’ If there is anything to configure or reconfigure, it is solely at the discretion of COA and the President cannot interfere,” Hontiveros said in her privilege speech.

“Also, why is the President telling the COA to reconfigure? Why should the COA say there is no corruption here? Why should it preempt any investigation on fraud, graft and corruption and other such malpractices? (In truth), to a lay person, to ‘reconfigure everything’ sounds like a directive to doctor the books or doctor the data,” she said in mixed Filipino and English.

She said COA red flags are there to tell the government “how to govern better, but they can also tell law enforcers where to look, and which trail to follow.”

She said in many instances in the past, the COA report was the smoking gun or material evidence of corruption. “A COA report cannot stand on its own, but on many occasions, it is an in-tegral part of the chain of evidence that can lead to conviction,” she said.

Hontiveros also expressed disappointment over Duterte’s standing by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who she said “suffers from a serious case of incompetence.”

On Friday, Aug. 20, the President asked COA during a pre-recorded address aired on Saturday, Aug. 21, to "reconfigure" their reports by stating that there is no corruption if state funds remain unused.

"I know there is no malice. You are just doing your duty. But in making the report, kindly reconfigure everything and say, at the first instance, if you conduct interviews, state immediately, 'There is no corruption here because there is no money involved.' The money has not been utilized," Duterte said.

"Even if Duque wanted to spend all of that in one day, he has no sufficient personnel... So what can he do? He has to make do with the manpower of his office," he added. – With Paolo Romero, Michael Punongbayan