The Commission on Audit (COA) ordered former Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) officials to return to the government over P2.8 million for irregular reimbursements done to its late former chairman Ramon Revilla Sr. in 2011.
In a signed decision in January 2022 posted on its website, COA said it denied the petition for review filed by nine former PRA officials for lack of merit. The officials include former general manager Peter Anthony Abaya, former assistant general managers Pelagio Lalap and Arminda Alaras and former board secretary Hunter Ibarra.
Auditors tagged Revilla’s reimbursements as irregular because the funds were spent on unnecessary things for attending meetings and in the discharge of official duties.
“In this case the actual expenses charged to the chairperson’s budget do not appear necessary to the discharge of his functions e.g. rice donations, floral arrangements, lechon, etc.” COA said.
Revilla, a former senator and actor, died of heart failure in 2020.
— Ronald Espartinez