Ched Rick Gatchalian

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COA to consider requiring its officials to submit disclosures on financial, business interests – Budget sponsor

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759313761751175567923524920180219-commission-on-audit-jc-4530.webp" style="width:958px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Commission on Audit in Quezon City. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span>MANILA  — The Commission on Audit (COA) will consider requiring its officials to submit disclosures on all financial, business, and pecuniary interests, according to COA budget sponsor Rep. John Tracy Cagas.</div><p>Before this, Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno said he hoped the commission would require officials to submit such disclosures similar to what was asked of House Infra Committee members as they investigated flood control project anomalies.</p><p>“Klaro naman sa ating saligang batas na upon assumption, at least, let’s say, members of the House are required to make those disclosures. But it has not become a regular government practice for even constitutional commissions to do that. And I was hoping that the example would start with the Commission on Audit na i-require nila ang sarili nila at ang mga opisyal nila na magbigay ng disclosure just like when we embarked on our Infra Comm investigation here in our House, I had requested that all members of our committees make that kind of disclosure under oath,” Diokno said during plenary deliberations on the commission’s 2026 budget.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/2/house-infra-comm-members-ordered-to-disclose-conflict-of-interest-with-flood-projects-inquiry-1211">House Infra Comm members ordered to disclose ties to flood control projects</a></div><p>Previously, members of the House Infra Comm were asked to give written disclosures on conflict of interest in relation to the aforementioned investigation.</p><p>Diokno initially asked if COA released a directive “starting from the top all the way down” to require disclosures of financial, business, and pecuniary interests in companies that may result in a conflict of interest with COA officials.</p><p>“COA’s reliance is on the provision of the SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth),” Cagas said in reply.</p><p>Diokno then raised a concern over the SALN not directly requiring disclosure of all financial, business, and pecuniary interests.  </p><p>After Cagas said they would consider Diokno’s “very good suggestion” on disclosures as he had called it, Diokno told Cagas he was grateful for the response, as this would help prevent another issue of conflict of interest involving a COA commissioner.</p><p>While the lawmaker did not specify the commissioner, it can be recalled that lawmakers flagged potential conflict of interest involving COA Commissioner Mario Lipana due to his wife having secured millions in pesos worth of flood control projects.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/24/ombudsman-opens-probe-into-coa-commissioner-contractor-wife-1047">Ombudsman opens probe into COA commissioner, &#x27;contractor&#x27; wife</a></div><div> </div><div><strong>LIFESTYLE CHECKS ON COA OFFICIALS</strong></div><p>Cagas added that COA is open to subjecting its officials to lifestyle checks as previously mentioned by the president.</p><p>“With or without the prodding of anyone, the COA officials will submit to a lifestyle check,” Cagas said.</p><p>COA commissioners will also consider Diokno’s proposal of having them voluntarily publish their SALNs even without the Ombudsman’s clearance, Cagas said.</p><p>The House of Representatives on Wednesday concluded interpellations on COA’s budget.</p>

<p>The Commission on Audit (COA) will consider requiring its officials to submit disclosures on all financial, business, and pecuniary interests, according to COA budget sponsor Rep. John Tracy Cagas.</p>

The Commission on Audit (COA) will consider requiring its officials to submit disclosures on all financial, business, and pecuniary interests, according to COA budget sponsor Rep. John Tracy Cagas.

COA to consider requiring its officials to submit disclosures on financial, business interests – budget sponsor

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COA to consider requiring its officials to submit disclosures on financial, business interests – budget sponsor

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 01, 2025 06:38 PM PHT

Read More:

COA

Commission on Audit

Disclore

SALN

Flood control project

House Infra Committee

Chel Diokno

Lifestyle check

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