Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Tuesday, October 14 called on the Commission on Audit (COA) to investigate the alleged involvement of some of its resident auditors in the multi-billion peso anomalous flood control projects. 

During the Senate’s hearing into the proposed budget of COA for next year, the Senate deputy majority leader said COA should look into the possible complicity of some of its auditors in the flood control mess that sparked national outrage. 

This, after Ejercito particularly asked COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba if the agency has already launched its own investigation into resident auditors assigned to district offices flagged for irregularities, particularly in Bulacan and Mindoro. 

Aside from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the senator believes the investigation should also center on the COA which could also be part of the collusion among the different agencies. 

“This is not only DPWH, but of course, it is the primary agency that really undertook or implemented these substandard or ghost projects, together with the proponents,” Ejercito said.

“But, the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) was also mentioned; COA was also mentioned,” he pointed out.

“I hope they (COA) would investigate, because DPWH officials in the First District and Engineering Office have testified that people from the DBM and COA are also part of the collusion,” the senator said.

While no formal charges have been filed yet, he said auditors who failed to act on red flags should still be held accountable.

Cordoba, in response, assured senators that the COA’s Fraud Audit Office is already investigating the matter and that initial findings would be submitted to the committee once the internal process is completed.

Some resource persons during the Senate blue ribbon committee probe earlier tagged COA Commissioner Mario Lipana as one of the agency’s officials who allegedly received large sums of money in relation to the flood control projects. 

Nevertheless, Ejercito lauded COA’s efforts to improve its auditing processes which includes the use of geotagging technology to verify infrastructure projects and prevent falsified reports. 

With the use of geotagging technology, the senator said this would help avoid the duplication of documents.

“With physical verification, you cannot falsify documents. Because it’s satellite-driven,” he said.

The lawmaker further said the public’s anger over the ghost flood control projects must serve as a wake-up call for stronger oversight and institutional reforms.

“We have confidence in Chairperson Cordoba and the rest of the COA family. I hope that you can really help us in this scandal and scam that has really racked the nation,“ he stressed.