The Commission on Audit has submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman 50 fraud audit reports on flood control projects, COA Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba said on Thursday.
Cordoba made the confirmation during COA’s budget hearing at the Senate committee on finance after its chairperson Sen. JV Ejercito asked for updates on the agency’s audits on the flood control projects.
‘Nakatapos na po kami ng 50 fraud audit reports at nasubmit na namin sa Office of the Ombudsman para sa kanilang preliminary investigation at saka sa mga cases that they file,’ Cordoba shared.
(‘We have completed 50 fraud audit reports and have submitted them to the Office of the Ombudsman for their preliminary investigation and also in the cases that they file.)
In an earlier budget hearing for the Office of the Ombudsman, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said there are 31 flood control cases filed before in the Sandiganbayan and four in regional trial courts, while another 166 are under preliminary investigation.
Cordoba said COA auditors also serve as witnesses for flood control cases already filed in courts or even during the Ombudsman’s preliminary investigations.
He further highlighted that COA is particularly concentrating on auditing flood control projects in Bulacan, saying it appears to be the ‘ground zero’ for the infrastructure proje ts controversy.