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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ombudsman investigating COA exec Lipana; Tinio says 'Good to know'

Ombudsman investigating COA exec Lipana; Tinio says 'Good to know'

Published Sep 24, 2025 12:31 pm

At A Glance

  • The Office of the Ombudsman has confirmed to House members that it is now investigating the case of Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Mario Lipana, whose wife is a contractor of government infrastructure projects.
ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio (PPAB)
ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio (PPAB)


The Office of the Ombudsman has confirmed to House members that it is now investigating the case of Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Mario Lipana, whose wife is a contractor of government infrastructure projects.
This confirmation came during the plenary debates on the Ombudsman's proposed budget for 2026 Wednesday morning, Sept. 24 at the House of Representatives.
Deputy Minority Leader ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, one of the interpellators of the Ombudsman's budget, asked in plenary if the agency has done anything regarding Commissioner Lipana.
"Mayroon bang ginawa o ginagawa na konkreto ang Ombudsman kaugnay sa COA commissioner na ito? (Has the Ombudsman done anything concrete regarding this COA commissioner?)" he asked budget sponsor Quezon 4th district Rep. Keith Micah Tan.
"As far as I am able to divulge, they are currently investigating, ongoing fact-finding investigation, regarding the case of COA Commissioner Lipana," Tan, vice chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, answered.
Tinio sounded pleasantly surprised and said, "So may ongoing investigation na po ang Ombudsman kay Commissioner Lipana? (So the Ombudsman already has an ongoing investigation on Commissioner Lipana?) OK, good to know."
Commissioner Lipana's wife is Marilou Laurio Lipana, president and general manager of Olympus Mining and Builders Group Philippines.
During the appropriations panel's deliberations on COA's 2026 budget last Sept.11, it was learned that Olympus had nine ongoing contracts for flood control projects and farm-to-market roads with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bulacan totaling P326.609 million and completed flood control projects amounting to P178.52 million.
All these came out amid the public outrage on the alleged collusion between contractors and lawmakers on anomalous or "ghost" flood control projects. This collusion allegedly results to millions worth of kickbacks that should have been poured into the government projects.
Commissioner Lipana's close relations to a contractor raises the issue of delicadeza. Tinio, during the committee hearing, flatly said that the officiail should resign due to conflict of interest.
The commissioner is reportedly receiving medical treatment in Singapore and is not scheduled to return home until month's end.
During Tuesday’s Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, former DPWH Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara said that Commissioner Lipana asked him for a list of flood control projects in Bulacan around 2022.
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