Zubiri says COA reports must be respected

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri emphasized the importance of the Commission on Audit (COA) reports in ensuring good governance and stated they must be respected, following President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to his Cabinet to disregard these findings.

President Duterte had instructed Cabinet secretaries to ignore COA's flagged deficiencies, particularly those related to pandemic response projects.

Zubiri highlighted that policymakers rely on COA reports to assess the implementation of government programs, identify deficiencies, and investigate potential corruption.

He added that these audit reports are crucial for legislators during budget deliberations, enabling them to make informed decisions on fund allocation and identify areas of concern regarding government expenditure.

The senator described COA as a vital tool and a guide for government agencies and law implementers to evaluate their performance and serve as a check and balance on government spending.