Duterte links COA to corruption, questions Lacson's honesty amid Senate probe

President Rodrigo Duterte has accused state auditors of committing bribery and falsification of documents as he continued to rail against them for flagging expenditures of government agencies.

Duterte made the allegations as he questioned the ongoing Senate investigation into the Health Department's P67-billion deficient spending of COVID-19 response funds, including the P42 billion transferred to the Department of Budget and Management.

The Senate launched the investigation in light of the 2020 audit report of the Commission on Audit on the Department of Health.

"Why don't you (COA) publish criminal cases filed against the auditing office involving corruption? Mas masahol pa, bribery, tinuturuan niyo mag falsify [This is even worst because this is about bribery and helping falsify documents]," he said in his weekly address that was aired Tuesday morning.

"Madami nademanda sa COA for bribery and falsification [of documents], tinuturuan nila [ang nasa gobyerno] ano ang gagawin para makalusot. Ganun 'yan [A lot of COA personnel are facing complaints for bribery and falsification, they are the ones who teach government officials how to go through a loophole]," he added.

Duterte, meanwhile, said he has the goods on Senator Panfilo Lacson, who has been criticizing the government's response to the pandemic based on the COA report on Department of Health.

"Ping, tanungin kita, are you honest? Answer me truthfully. Are you honest? If you answer yes, next program may pakita ako," Duterte said.

Responding to the President's tirade against him, Lacson, in a statement, said Duterte is on "panic mode" and is discouraging the Senate the pursue its investigation.

"But make no mistake. The Senate will not flinch on this one. There is a lot more to discover and pursue so that all those responsible for this abominable crime against the Filipino people who continue to suffer amid the pandemic will be exposed and charged in court at the proper time," he said.  --KBK, GMA News