Ex-AFP chief accountant held liable for P4.8M rubber boats deal

 

 

In his motion for reconsideration filed with COA on October 21, 2011, Moro claimed he merely certified the availability of funds for the purchase of rubber boats after he was ordered to do so by military superiors in 1999.

 

Moro also denied allegations of unlawful diversion of public funds saying then President Joseph Estrada approved the realignment from the AFP’s budget for precision test and measurement instruments after the Navy requested money for the more pressing need for “disaster response equipment.”

 

COA however said Moro’s appeal was filed beyond the 30-day deadline for motions for reconsiderations on adverse rulings.

 

The ruling was signed by COA chairperson Ma. Gracia Pulido-Tan and Commissioners Heidi Mendoza and Rowena Guanzon.

 

In the same decision, the COA Commission Proper said Moro   raised old arguments that it had previously considered and overruled.

 

 The most recent ruling affirmed findings that the procurement should be disallowed because of overpricing since the rubber boats bought in the 1999 deal was valued at P1.4 million per unit against COA’s canvass price of only P1.265 million which already included markup.