Heidi Mendoza eyes Senate bid after UN service

Published October 12, 2015 11:09pm

Outgoing Commission on Audit Commissioner Heidi Mendoza said she will be assuming her post at the United Nations by mid-November, but this early she already has plans for when that stint in New York is over. Mendoza said she wants to serve as senator of the Philippines.

Mendoza revealed her plans in an interview with Professor Winnie Monsod in the episode of GMA Network's public affairs program, "Bawal Ang Pasaway" Monday evening.

The COA veteran also disclosed how she was selected for the UN post she will soon assume.

Mendoza said it would be good for the COA to have an insider for the position she is vacating considering that the two other top COA officials, Chairman Michael Aguinaldo and Commissioner Jose Fabia, are outsiders.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has informed the UN General Assembly of his intention to appoint Mendoza as the new Under-Secretary-General in charge of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) for a five-year non-renewable term.

The OIOS is the internal oversight body of the United Nations. It was established "to assist the Secretary-General in fulfilling his oversight responsibilities in respect of the resources and staff of the Organization through internal audit, monitoring, inspection, evaluation and investigation services."

Ban Ki-moon has ordered an audit of all dealings the organization had with two entities that are the subjects of a U.S. bribery probe, a U.N. spokesman has said.

Ban asked the OIOS to audit all of the U.N.'s interactions with the Global Sustainability Foundation and the Sun Kian Ip Group, as well as the use of any funds received from them, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Speaking to reporters at U.N. headquarters, Dujarric said Ban was "committed to ensuring that funds received from such private entities were handled properly, according to relevant U.N. rules and regulations."

There "will be no tolerance for any corruption at the United Nations or in the name of the United Nations," he added.

In a complaint filed in federal court in New York, U.S. prosecutors said more than $1.3 million in bribes were received from Chinese businessmen, including billionaire Macau real estate developer Ng Lap Seng. — ELR/JST, GMA News

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