PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, September 19, told former Commission on Audit (COA) commissioner Heidi Mendoza that she could not chastise him over his advice to local officials to defy the state audit agency's rules on government expenditures.
In a speech delivered at Palace's Rizal Hall, Duterte clarified that he was "not criticizing" COA for issuing circulars, but stressed that he could not afford to let his countrymen suffer in the wake of Typhoon Ompong's devastation because of slow disaster response of the government.
"Ngayon itong COA, itong si Heidi sumagot siya (Now, former COA commissioner Heidi responded to my previous remark)," Duterte said.
"I was speaking on the people who cannot defend themselves. I was not criticizing [the COA]," the President added.
During a post-typhoon briefing in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Norte Governor Maria Imelda Josefa "Imee" Marcos raised the issue of COA's rejection of cash advances, except for the purpose of food.
Duterte, responding to Marcos's concern, slammed state audit agency's "stupid" circular and even joked that the governor should push COA personnel down the stairs for refusal to grant cash advances for the purchase of construction materials intended to restore buildings destroyed by Ompong.
On Tuesday, September 18, Mendoza called out Duterte for belittling the government body that is merely fulfilling its mandate to safeguard taxpayers' money.
"We are a constitutional commission and not one of the past honorable Presidents of our lands of our land has called on another institution, subject under our authority, to defy our rules," the former COA official said.
"Give us respect for we deserve it. Government exists not only because of efficiency but also because of dignity," she added.
Duterte said Mendoza cannot dress him down, stressing that he was "ahead of her by a mile."
"Hindi niya ako ma-lecturean (She cannot lecture me) because I was ahead of her by a mile diyan sa understanding the nitty-gritty sa (when it comes to understanding the nitty-gritty of implementing the COA circulars)" he said.
"Minsan 'yung circular (Sometimes because of a circular), you convict a person by a circular. A circular, what is its dimension? That it risks the level of both the national and local?" the President justified.
He then maintained that he is willing to answer for possible accountability for his defiance order against COA's rules on government spending.
The President told local executives anew to ensure that they are attending to the needs of people who need the government's assistance.
"They have to comply with certain regulations, sabi ko (I said) to hell with COA. Do not listen to them. Just do what I'm telling you to do. I will answer them basta dumating lang iyang pagkain (as long as the food was delivered) and every peso was spent for the food and anything that is kailangan ng tao (the public needs)," he said.
"You just do your duty. Pag nasabit kayo (If they question you), I will answer for it. Do not bother to worry about anything. Iyan naman ang trabaho ng Presidente kasi (That's the President's job)," Duterte added. (SunStar Philippines)