Some COA folk not exactly jumping for joy at Mendoza’s return

MANILA, Philippines—Old colleagues at the Commission on Audit (COA) are not exactly jumping for joy at Heidi Mendoza’s return and are hoping she will put her money where her mouth is—that is, get rid of scalawags in government.

Some officers and employees are still hurting from Mendoza’s earlier statements that have tarnished the institution’s name, COA officials said Tuesday.

And they ask, why is she going back now?

Outgoing COA Chair Reynaldo Villar acknowledged the resentments.

“Hindi mawawala yun (That can’t be helped),” Villar said. “I don’t know what is going to happen. I don’t know, with everything she has done… To a certain extent it has affected the COA, it has damaged its image.”

Mendoza earlier said some officials were not supportive when she was investigating anomalies in the military.

Assistant Commissioner for Finance Isabel Agito said she was surprised by Mendoza’s return. “After all that she had said about the COA, that it is corrupt, why does she want to go to a corrupt agency?”

Agito said Mendoza’s “sweeping statements” against the agency hurt people who felt there were also a lot of very honest workers at the commission.

“I hope she just didn’t bring down the institution. I hope when she comes in, she would do something good to improve the institution,” said Director Rolando Macale of the COA public information office.

Leonor Boado, head of the fraud audit investigation office, said that the commission had uncovered a lot of anomalies and busted a lot of corruption activities. She was also surprised that Mendoza would rejoin the audit agency, after all that she had said.

Boado said Mendoza should do what she said she would, which is to clean up the government.

She also said that regardless of who is heading the COA, its personnel would continue doing their best to serve the people and protect the institution.

“Officials come and go, but the institution stays. The institution should be preserved,” she said.

As for the incoming COA chair, Villar said it would be good if she would meet with senior officials to find out what needs to be done at the agency. He also hopes the new chair would continue with reforms at the commission.