Duterte criticizes COA over flagging, Roque clarifies

President Rodrigo Duterte has criticized the Commission on Audit (COA) for flagging government agencies with deficiencies in their use of funds, specifically mentioning the Department of Health's handling of P67.3 billion in pandemic funds.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque clarified that Duterte only asked COA to stop publishing preliminary reports and not the annual audit reports.

COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo stated that the commission will continue to comply with its constitutional mandate, emphasizing that they do not 'flag' but rather observe and recommend improvements.

Jonathan Beltran of COA’s Public Information Office said that audit reports are published on their website for transparency purposes as mandated by the Constitution.