Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, December 5 said she expects the Commission on Audit (COA) to finish its special audit on the government’s COVID-19 spending by June next year.
Hontiveros said she sees no reason for the state auditing agency to further delay auditing the Department of Health (DOH) and other agencies related to the government’s COVID-19 response.
“We expect COA, to the fullest extent of its authority, to compel all government agencies involved to submit the documentary requirements, and complete the audit procedure at the latest by June 2023,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“Truth be told, the time to subpoena the withheld documents COA needs for its special audit was yesterday,” she pointed out.
As the special audit process is still hanging, Hontiveros pointed out said the public cannot identify the agencies and individuals who may be involved in the wastes or anomalies in the funds spent and owed by the government for the COVID-19 responses.
The senator said the government invested and spent billions in the COVID-19 responses, but up to this point, concerned agencies like the DOH, whether under former Health Secretary Francisco Duque or Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire, are not providing the Commission with sufficient documents to proceed with the special audit.
“Tama na ang turuan (Let’s stop finger pointing), government agencies should cooperate and get the audit done,” she said.
“Over two years I have urged, time and time again through several resolutions, for COA to conduct a special audit,” the lawmaker recalled.
“Paulit-ulit ang panawagan, hindi lang galing sa akin (I repeatedly asked, not only me), but even other senators and officials as well),” she pointed out.
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