A growing reputation as a bad customer

IT was not, as both the spokespersons for the Aquino Administration and the Department of Defense have explained, a ‘suspension’ of three contracts to acquire military aircraft that the Commission on Audit issued last week. It was rather a ‘suspension in audit,’ which requires further documentation and explanation from the government before the audit could continue.

The semantics are unbecoming. The purpose of an audit is to determine whether proper procurement and contract procedures have been followed, and whether money disbursed went where it was supposed to go. While it is true that a project such as equipment procurement can proceed while an audit is ongoing, ‘suspension in audit’ is a serious matter. It indicates that the auditors have encountered issues serious enough to warrant stopping the audit until they are explained, and have the practical effect of suspending the project because of strong indications of anomalies.