Ombudsman denies hand in COA report leak

The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday denied the allegation of the camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay that the agency had a hand in the leakage of a Commission on Audit (COA) report that said he is liable for the alleged anomalous construction of the Makati City Hall Building II.

In a text message to reporters, Ombudsman Public Information and Media Relations Bureau (PIMRB) acting director Rawnsle Lopez maintained that the anti-graft body has yet to receive a copy of the report from COA.

“As of the moment, the office is still waiting for the transmittal of the COA report. The office will thoroughly study the COA findings before issuing any further statement,” Lopez said.

Lopez was reacting to the statement of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) president Toby Tiangco that someone working for the Ombudsman was the one who leaked the COA special audit report to selected reporters.

“We have received information that a PR consultant working for the Ombudsman provided copies of the COA report to select reporters," Tiangco said

"To this we ask why, if the case against us is strong, would there be any need for underhanded tactics?” he added.

Lopez said the allegation was “definitely untrue” as their office has “no report to release” to begin with.

In a 148-page special audit report, a copy of which was obtained by GMA News, COA said Binay, his son, dismissed Makati Mayor Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. and several other officials of the Makati City government must be held criminally liable over the alleged overpriced construction of the Makati City Hall Building II also referred as the Makati parking building.

The construction of the controversial 11-storey building began in 2007 during the term of Binay Sr. as Makati mayor. The project was continued by his son who succeeded him as mayor in 2010.

Meanwhile Tiango also slammed the COA for allegedly violating its own resolution prohibiting the conduct of special audit against candidates in the upcoming elections.

“The commission could be held liable for violating COA Resolution No. 2015-033 dated September 29, 2015, prohibiting the conduct of special audit against candidates of the 2016 elections,” Tiangco said.

Tiangco pointed out that under the resolution no fraud or special audits should be done between October 12, 2015 to May 9, 2016.

Binay is running for president in the May elections.

Meanwhile, Binay’s lawyer Claro Certeza said the COA has no authority to identify the criminal liabilities of public officials as “its mandate is merely to audit government expenditures and to determine if the same are allowable”.

GMA News Online tried to reach COA officials for a reaction but they were not responding to calls and text messages. — APG, GMA News