MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday dared lawmakers to conduct congressional probes on every agency that was flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA).
In a heated public address aired on Tuesday morning, Duterte once again took a swipe at COA for “flagging” agencies as well as senators who “selectively” initiate probes on the issues.
“Alam ba ninyo na halos lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno, ng executive department, may flagging,” he said.
(Did you know that almost all of the agencies of government were flagged?)
“Ngayon ang gusto kong tanong dito sa mga senador, bakit hindi ninyo imbestigahan lahat? Lahat na lang ng na-flag, marami ang na-flag,” he added.
(Now, what I want to ask these senators, why don’t you investigate all of those flagged?)
The President told senators not to “run the departments they way you want it.”
“I am telling these senators now, do not run the departments. ‘Wag kayong mag-imbestiga, magsabi ng ganito ganito (Don’t investigate or say this or that). You’d like to run government, the departments the way you want it. Or is it because you want publicity?” he said.
“Marami eh, maraming na-flag. There are about almost everybody na-flag. ‘Yan ang ano, namimili eh,” he added.
(Many agencies were flagged. Almost everybody was flagged. You pick and choose.)
Duterte reiterated his suggestion that COA and other fact-finding agencies like the Office of the Ombudsman should not publicize their preliminary findings unless it is final.
During his two-hour address, Duterte railed against Senators Richard Gordon and Panfilo Lacson for the conduct of probes on budget utilization of agencies.