Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito called on the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged involvement of its resident auditors in the multi-billion-peso anomalous flood control projects that have sparked national outrage.
During the Committee on Finance hearing on the proposed 2026 budget of COA on Monday, Ejercito asked 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.
‘I hope that you would investigate, it came from DPWH officials in this First District and Engineering Office with DBM and COA in an alleged collusion.’
The lawmaker from San Juan emphasized that while no formal charges have been filed yet, auditors who failed to act on red flags should still be held accountable.
The COA official assured the senator that the agency’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.
Ejercito also raised concerns about reports implicating COA Commissioner Mario Lipana in allegedly receiving large sums of money.
Geo-tagging technology
To prevent future anomalies, Ejercito lauded COA’s ongoing improvements, particularly in using geo-tagging technology to verify infrastructure projects and prevent falsified reports.
‘So to avoid doctored documents. that’s how powerful the District Engineer Office of DPWH has become. Because they are the ones who assign which contractor is doing or if the project is ever done at all,’ he said.
‘So with the use, aside from the physical verification, now with geo-tagging, at least now we would know. This is a big thing because they can’t doctor it. It’s satellite-driven,’ he added
He expressed confidence in COA leadership, saying he hopes the agency will take decisive action to ensure integrity in the auditing process.
‘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.’
‘I hope to restore faith in government. I am hoping that you would help in restoring faith in COA,’ Ejercito said.
Ejercito said the public’s anger over the ghost projects must serve as a wake-up call for stronger oversight and institutional reforms.