COA’s mandate limited to auditing, not probing corruption

Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., during the continuation of the virtual inquiry on the 2020 Commission on Audit (COA) report on the utilization of the Department of Health (DOH) budget, particularly on its expenditures for the Covid-19 program Friday, September 10, 2021, asks the Commission on Audit (COA) if there is anomaly in the granting of the supply contract to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation by the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM). COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo said the mandate of the commission is limited to auditing, examining and settling accounts. But while they can help provide data, evidence and leads to corruption, they do not have the mandate to probe corruption. “Which is why we have to work with other government agencies such as the Office of the Ombudsman or the Department of Justice when it comes to probing corruption,” Aguinaldo said. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)