COA Witness: Auditors Can't Confirm OVP Fund Aliases

MANILA, Philippines – Former Commission on Audit–Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office (COA-ICFAO) auditor Roderick Wamil tells the Senate impeachment court during Day 13 of the trial, that, because COA audits of confidential funds are document-based, the individuals named in liquidation documents are expected to be real persons. He says Joint Circular No. 2015-01 neither "The auditors are just looking at the vouchers and supporting documents," Wamil said. He was asked by the prosecution panel if COA auditors could confirm if the aliases or names in the liquidation documents were real persons. "We cannot," Wamil said. He added that the auditors are just checking if the vouchers and supporting documents are in order. "The auditors are not mandated to verify the identities of the individuals receiving the funds," he said. This testimony comes amid the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is accused of corruption and abuse of power. Binay's camp has denied all allegations, claiming that the impeachment trial is politically motivated. The OVP's confidential funds have been a subject of scrutiny, with critics questioning the lack of transparency in their disbursement. This development is expected to further intensify the impeachment proceedings and put more pressure on the Vice President.