State auditor considering accounting audit of election watchdog over ballot shortages

“The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) is considering conducting a financial audit of the embattled National Election Commission (NEC) that has been under massive criticism over ballot shortages in the June 3 local elections, sources said Tuesday. The state auditor is cautiously weighing the accounting audit option, while monitoring the progress of joint police and prosecution investigations, as well as a parliamentary probe, the sources said. The election watchdog is an independent constitutional organization that is not subject to a full-fledged performance audit, a measure aimed at shielding the agency from political influence. But an accounting audit is deemed permissible because it carries no political implications. Should an accounting audit happen, it is expected to focus on whether the budget for printing ballot papers was appropriately allocated and executed. It could also help determine where the responsibilities lie for the shortages. "We're monitoring the situation while looking into various possibilities," a BAI official said. Calls have been mounting for the NEC's dismantle

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