SENATOR Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III proposed the conduct of a fraud audit on the procurement of alleged overpriced and outdated laptops for teachers by the Department of Budget’s Procurement Service.

Pimentel said the Commission on Audit may exercise its right to conduct a fraud audit.

“Ganito na sumasabog ang mga issues pinatulan na rin ng Kongreso, I urge the COA to exercise their power, their authority or right to conduct a fraud audit,” Pimentel said in a news briefing.

With fraud audit, the auditors may conduct a more extensive probe on the procurement.

The senator challenged the new leadership of the Department of Budget and Management to implement changes in the agency and ensure that irregularities in their Procurement Service will not happen again.

“Kung nasisira ang PS-DBM, nasisira ang DBM. ‘Di ba logical iyon? Sirang-sira na itong PS-DBM, hindi ba sira rin, masisira rin ang imahe ng mother agency?” Pimentel said.

“Ayusin ninyo ang PS-DBM and let’s have some spectacular achievements. Pero kung wala, kunyari cosmetic lang…I can say na ang prevailing sentimyento dyan sa committee or at least sa mga nag-attend sa hearing is goodbye PS-DBM na,” he added.