Sinita ng Commission on Audit (COA) ang Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) sa pagkabigong tutukan ang implementasyon ng infrastructure projects na nagkakahalaga ng P984.953 million.
Sa 2022 COA audit report, nakasaad na ang mga hindi natapos na infra projects ay bahagi ng extra jail facilities sa lahat ng Operating Prison and Penal Farms upang I-decongest ang national prisons sa pamamagitan ng paglalaan ng dagdag na mga dormitoryo para magkasya ang lumalaking bilang ng populasyon ng persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).
Ang proyekto ay binuo noong 2019 upang magkaroon ng hiwalay na mga pasilidad para maiwasan ang karahasan sa Regional Prison Facilities sa Leyte Regional Prison, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, at Davao Prison and Penal Farm.
Binalak din ang renovations sa Correctional Institution for Women, habang sa San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm ay magtatayo ng isang one-story building na lahat ay may target deadline..
Nakatanggap ang BuCor noong 25 Nobyembre 2019 ng P1 bilyon Special Allotment Release Order para magtayo at ayusin ang prison facilities.
Ngunit natuklasan ng COA na hanggang noong 31 Disyembre, apat sa mga proyekto ang hindi pa kompleto kahit na-extend pa ang deadline nito.
“It was noted that the contractors requested for time extension due to Covid-19 pandemic, which was subsequently approved by the Chief of General Services and the Director General of BuCor. However, in spite of the time extension granted, the projects remained incomplete as of December 31, 2022 or a delay ranging from 21 to 122 days,” anang COA.
“Despite non-completion of the project within the agreed period of completion, liquidated damages equal to at least 1/10 of one percent of the cost of the unperformed portion of works for each day of delay in the completion of the projects were not imposed or deducted from the claims of the contractors, contrary to the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184),” sabi ng COA.
Bilang tugon sa report, sinabi ng BuCor na ilang opisyal ng kawanihan, kasama si ex-BuCor director general Gerald Bantag, ay iniimbestigahan kaugnay sa isyu.
Nagsampa na ang BuCor ng kasong plunder at malversation of public funds at kaukulang administrative cases laban sa ilang kasalukuyan at dating opisyal ng kawanihan.
