“From what I understand, given the past pronouncements of the COA chair herself, the COA is self-aware and that they have also started looking into the possibility that some auditors or resident auditors may be part of the crimes that have happened,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said at a press conference.
She was responding to queries on the need for a house cleaning in COA following the announcement that 12 resident COA auditors are among the 34 respondents in the malversation, direct bribery and graft and corrupt practices complaint to be filed before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the pork barrel scam.
Aside from this, COA had also been criticized over the agency’s use of funds from the Aquino administration’s controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) for the purchase of service vehicles.
Valte, however, said Budget Sec. Butch Abad had already clarified that the money that was used to pay for the vehicles was sourced from the savings of COA itself. She also clarified that they cannot give orders to COA, and that any internal investigation is initiated by the agency.
“The viability of giving COA orders would be misplaced at this point, given that the Commission on Audit is an independent constitutional commission,” she said. — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News
