Heidi Mendoza named COA officer-in-charge

Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Heidi Mendoza is now the acting chairman of the audit body until President Benigno Aquino III names a replacement for former chairperson Grace Pulido-Tan, according to a resolution posted on the COA website.

In the resolution, the COA said Mendoza will be the “designated officer-in-charge of COA pending the appointment of a permanent chairperson.”

Access to the copy of the resolution, however, was limited only to COA employees. But in a phone interview Thursday, COA public information officer Liza Cabalfin said Mendoza's appointment as COA OIC took effect on February 3, a day after Tan ended her four-year term as COA chairperson.

“The COA Proper composed of Tan and two other commisioners designated Mendoza as OIC since she is the senior commissioner,” Cabalfin said.

Mendoza was appointed COA commisioner in March 2011, while the other COA commissioner, Jose Fabia, was only appointed in May 2014.

The 58-year-old Tan, who was appointed COA chair by Aquino on April 18, 2011, ended her term on February 2, 2015 even if she had an option to extend it three more years as the Constitution allows a COA chairperson to hold office for seven years.

Mendoza's popularity as auditor took off when she exposed the corruption in the military, particularly those allegedly involving former military comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia.

Prior to working with COA, Mendoza had also worked with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and was also a member of the board of advisers of the Ateneo de Manila University School of Government. —KBK, GMA News