Jamaine Punzalan

Commission on Audit, Quezon City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175567923524920180219-commission-on-audit-jc-4530.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Commission on Audit, Quezon City.<em> Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — A construction company linked to Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Mario Lipana’s wife bagged nearly P200 million worth of flood control projects from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), according to government data, raising concerns of conflict of interest in the agency that is conducting a fraud audit in several flood control projects.</p><p>Marilou Laurio-Lipana, the wife of the COA Commissioner, is the president and general manager of Olympus Mining and Builders Group Philippines Corporation, according to several documents from the DPWH. </p><p>In an interview with Radyo5 in October 2024, Laurio-Lipana — who ran and lost as a nominee of the Vendors party-list — confirmed that she has been leading the corporation, which won millions of pesos in government awards in recent years.</p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/14/-sumbong-sa-pangulo-website-receives-over-1-000-reports-on-flood-control-projects-1330">“Sumbong sa Pangulo” website</a>, Olympus Mining and Builders’ public contracts include two flood control projects in San Miguel, Bulacan that were both funded in 2023.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/17/map-flood-control-projects-in-luzon-excluding-metro-manila-1348">MAP: Flood control projects in Luzon, excluding Metro Manila </a></div><p>One of the contracts is for the construction of flood control structures along the upstream portion of the San Miguel River amounting to P91.67 million, while the other is for the downstream area pegged at P86.84 million.</p><p>On August 12, the COA released a memorandum directing its Central Luzon team to conduct a fraud audit on DPWH flood control projects in Bulacan. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/14/-sumbong-sa-pangulo-website-receives-over-1-000-reports-on-flood-control-projects-1330">Marcos &#x27;very angry&#x27; over P55-M &#x27;ghost&#x27; riverwall project in Baliuag, Bulacan</a></div><p>But Senate Committee on Social Justice chairman Erwin Tulfo flagged a possible conflict of interest due to Laurio-Lipana’s projects in government, including anti-flood programs in Bulacan.</p><p>“We have to look into that because it is really a conflict of interest kapag isa sa kanila is in government — Commission on Audit pa — tapos ang isa ay contractor,” Tulfo told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>“Paano kung substandard? Paano kung ghost? Paano mo iimbestigahan e asawa mo yun. Kung hindi niya nagawa, iimbestigahan siya ng asawa niya?” the senator said.</p><p>“I think that’s not right na yung asawa mo ay COA tapos ikaw contractor ka. It really is may violation doon,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/8/19/coa-gets-critical-docs-on-bulacan-flood-control-projects-amid-fraud-audit-1633">COA gets ‘critical’ docs on Bulacan flood control projects amid fraud audit</a></div><p>Under the 1987 Constitution, all members of constitutional commissions such as the COA are barred from being “financially interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract with, or in any franchise or privilege granted by the Government.”</p><p>Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees dictates that “public officials and employees shall not, directly or indirectly, have any financial or material interest in any transaction requiring the approval of their office.”</p><p>ABS-CBN News has repeatedly asked Commissioner Lipana and his office for comment, but they have yet to issue an official response.</p><p>COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordova has yet to respond to queries about Lipana’s possible conflict of interest in their agency’s fraud audit in Bulacan.</p><p>For former COA Commissioner Heidi Mendoza, having a contractor-wife is a clear conflict of interest for any official of the state auditing body.</p><p>“Conflict of interest yan,” Mendoza said in a chance interview.</p><p>“Kung COA ka tapos ikaw yung contractor, siyempre pagharap ng auditor mahihiya yan… Chances are hindi siya magsasalita so please lang naman, Diyos ko, igalang naman natin ang institusyon,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/20/bir-looking-into-tax-compliance-of-flood-control-project-contractors-1105">BIR looking into tax compliance of flood control project contractors</a></div><p>While Lipana can argue that he has been operating within the bounds of law, his wife’s involvement in public projects sends bad optics, political analyst Arjan Aguirre said in a separate interview.</p><p>“Ang COA kasi ay constitutional commission na ang trabaho niya talaga ay siguraduhin na ang gastos ng taxpayers&#x27; money ay na-audit nang maayos or naa-account nang maayos,” he said.</p><p>“Ngayon, kapag ang kamag-anak mo o siguro isa ka sa board of trustees na involved sa mga kumpanya sa gobyerno, hindi natin maiiwasan na mag-isip na yun bang trabaho bilang auditor magagawa mo nang tama,” he said.</p><p>“Ang issue diyan is hanggang saan mo kaya protektahan ang interes ng pamilya mo at interes ng bayan?” </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7S1wZz9PMdw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>A construction company linked to Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana’s wife bagged nearly P200 million worth of flood control projects from the DPWH, according to government data. </p>

A construction company linked to Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana’s wife bagged nearly P200 million worth of flood control projects from the DPWH, according to government data.

COA commissioner’s contractor-wife gets nearly P200-M in DPWH flood control projects: gov’t data

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COA commissioner’s contractor-wife gets nearly P200-M in DPWH flood control projects: gov’t data

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 20, 2025 04:48 PM PHT

|

Updated August 20, 2025 08:03 PM PHT

Read More:

Commission on Audit

COA

Vendors Party-list

Olympus Mining and Builders Group

flood

flood control

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