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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Mindanao devider Iqbal urged to yield as fund probe starts

Iqbal urged to yield as fund probe starts

Published Sep 5, 2025 06:21 pm
IQBAL
IQBAL
Rasol Mitmug, chairman of the Bangsamoro Parliament Blue Ribbon Committee, has urged Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education chief Mohagher Iqbal to take an indefinite leave of absence as the Commission on Audit started investigating the P2.2-billion fund controversy, particularly the alleged fund disbursement of P1.77 billion in just one day, on Friday.
Mitmug asked Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua to ask Iqbal to step down.
This, he said, is a necessary measure to protect the integrity of the investigation and ensure that there is no undue influence or obstruction of the audit process.
COA Chairman Gamalier A. Cordova, in a letter to Macacua, said they decided to conduct a special audit after the initial review of the two complaints filed against Iqbal.
The first complaint against Iqbal involved the P1,772,251,519.17 payment made in a single day, which reportedly circumvented the Finance Division standard review process through the issuance of checks to individual personnel, including the cashier.
The second complaint was due to the P449,236,636.20 payment issued to a single supplier under "questionable circumstances."
"In line with the Commission's Constitutional mandate, we are already in the process of constituting a special audit team to audit the subject transactions. We respectfully request your assistance for our audit team for the entire duration of the audit. We shall coordinate with your office on this matter,” Cordova said.

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COA BARMM Mohagher Iqbal MBHTE
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