Responding to allegations of corruption in the National Youth Commission (NYC), Chairperson Ronald Cardema falsely claimed that no notices of disallowance have been issued by the Commission on Audit (COA) to the agency.
In an “unscheduled debate” between Cardema and Kabataan Patylist Rep. Raoul Manuel in a media forum on Oct. 1, the NYC chair denied allegations of corruption, saying:
“Wala ngang sinabi ang COA na kurakot ang NYC; wala nga kami kahit disallowance o pinapabalik na pera, eh. ‘Wag n’yong sabihin COA, COA; kayo lang ang nagsabi na kurakot ang NYC.”
(The COA did not say that NYC is corrupt; we don’t even have [notice of] disallowance or order to return money. Don’t say COA, COA; you’re the only ones saying that NYC is corrupt.)
Source: Pandesal Forum with Congressman Raoul Manuel, KABATAAN PARTYLIST Representative, Oct. 1, 2022, watch from 1:31:37 to 1:31:48
Cardema was responding to claims raised by Manuel during the House plenary session last Sept. 27, citing irregularities in NYC’s expenses that COA had flagged since 2018. The congressman then called for Cardema’s resignation.
In its 2021 audit report, COA ordered NYC to refund certain amounts of unauthorized or unsubstantiated prepaid load cards (PLCs) as well as irregular and unnecessary expenditures. It had previously issued notices of disallowance after flagging excessive claims of travel and meals in 2018 and “expenses not in accordance with existing government rules and regulations” in...
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