In the wake of corruption allegations surrounding flood control projects, the Commission on Audit (COA) on Monday said it has launched internal investigations and sweeping reforms to strengthen transparency and restore public trust.
COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba, testifying before the Senate finance panel, confirmed that the agency is now investigating its own auditors for possible negligence or complicity in the irregularities flagged in several Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects.
‘Fraud auditors also look into the possible negligence or complicity of our resident auditors on the ground,’ Cordoba said.
He told senators that the results of these probes are being turned over to COA’s Internal Affairs Office for possible sanctions. In some cases, findings have already led to the suspension of DPWH engineers ‘implicated in ghost or non-existent projects’ through the Office of the Ombudsman.
He cited the DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office as a key focus of the probe, where resident auditors handled 11 municipalities and three cities-an extensive coverage that may have led to oversight gaps.
‘We are looking at every layer of accountability. Those who failed to act or allowed wrongdoing to happen will be held responsible,’ Cordoba said.
He also announced that resident auditors will be periodically reshuffled to avoid overfamiliarity with the agencies they monitor. At the same time, all COA officials and personnel will be required to declare any personal or financial interests tied to their assignments to prevent conflicts of interest.
‘We recognize the limitations in manpower, but we are instituting stronger oversight systems. Our fraud auditors will conduct random checks to ensure resident auditors are doing their jobs,’ he said.
Geotagging all infra projects
Among the most significant changes: mandatory geotagging for all infrastructure projects implemented by national agencies, state corporations, and local governments.
COA Commissioner Douglas Michael Mallillin said the audit body is preparing a memorandum circular requiring the use of geotagging for all infrastructure projects, not only those under DPWH but also those implemented by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Department of Health (DOH), government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), and local government units (LGUs).
‘Alam natin na ang DPWH, NIA, DOH, and not only national agencies pati mga GOCC, pati mga LGU po ay may infrastructure projects,’ Mallillin said.
The move follows earlier COA investigations into several DPWH projects in Bulacan, where auditors discovered that some contractors had falsified geotags-using actual project photos but linking them to incorrect locations.
‘We will pursue criminal charges against anyone found tampering with geotags or falsifying documentation,’ Mallillin warned.
COA will now use satellite-based verification for greater accuracy and deploy fraud auditors to conduct surprise inspections.
On Commissioner Lipana
Cordoba also addressed senators’ questions about COA Commissioner Mario Lipana, who was previously mentioned during Senate hearings on the flood control anomalies. He explained that Lipana has been on medical leave abroad since August 1 and has extended it until October 30.
‘While COA has no disciplinary authority over an impeachable official, we are fully coordinating with the Office of the Ombudsman,’ he clarified.
Meanwhile, COA is reviewing the possibility of reviving pre-audit procedures for agencies deemed to have ‘weak internal controls.’
‘If an agency has weak internal controls, we are studying the resources required to conduct a pre-audit, especially in terms of manpower and facilities, and we will balance this with the agency’s operational speed,’ Mallillin said.
The reforms come amid mounting public concern over ghost projects, questionable payments, and billions in alleged flood control anomalies uncovered in recent months./tsb