Jamaine Punzalan

Former Senator Leila de Lima speaks at the House of Representatives on October 22, 2024, during the Quad-Committee hearing on extrajudicial killings tied to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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QUAD-COMM-HEARING

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima warned Thursday that lawmakers could initiate impeachment proceedings against Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Mario Lipana over his wife’s involvement in flood control projects.</p><p>The COA executive’s wife Marilou Laurio-Lipana is the president and general manager of a company that <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/20/coa-commissioner-s-contractor-wife-gets-nearly-p200-m-in-dpwh-flood-control-projects-gov-t-data-1648">secured millions in pesos worth of flood control projects </a>from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).</p><p>After concerns over possible conflict of interest and violation of the constitution were raised, COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba said he would speak with Lipana once he returns from medical leave until the end of September.</p><p>“Please talk to him (Lipana) once he reports back to office. Otherwise, one of us or some of us may initiate impeachment proceedings against him because it clearly falls under one of the grounds– betrayal of public trust and even graft and corruption,” De Lima told Cordoba. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/1/coa-to-file-charges-against-dpwh-officials-contractors-over-ghost-flood-projects-1209">COA to file charges vs DPWH officials, contractors over &#x27;ghost&#x27; flood projects</a></div><p>Meanwhile, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said Lipana should resign, pointing out there is “very clearly” a violation of the constitution.</p><p>“May malinaw na conflict of interest po. May financial interest ang commissioner na ito. So lalo pa sa konteksto ngayon na nakatutok po ang lahat sa flood control projects… Dapat mag-resign na ang commissioner na ito,” Tinio said.</p><p>Answering Tinio’s question on whether or not Lipana should resign, Cordoba pointed out COA commissioners are impeachable officers and the commission does not have disciplinary authority over the commissioners.</p><p>Article IX Section 2 of the 1987 constitution states no members of a constitutional commission, which includes COA “shall he be financially interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract with, or in any franchise or privilege granted by the Government, any of its subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries.”</p><p>The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees states there should be no direct or indirect financial or material interest in any transaction requiring the approval of the official or employee’s office.</p><p>Laurio-Lipana heads Olympus Mining and Builders Group Philippines with nine government contracts for flood control projects and a farm-to-market road in Bulacan worth over P326 million in 2025.</p><p>Aside from this, the company has two completed flood control projects equivalent to P178.52 million.</p><p>Cordoba confirmed projects were awarded to Olympus Mining and Builders while Lipana was a COA commissioner.</p><p>“Based on records, nakapag-issue naman na po ng notice of disallowance ‘yung auditor relevant doon sa mga transactions po ng asawa po,” COA Office of the Secretary Supervising Auditor Tracy Sunico also said. </p><p>Meanwhile, Cordoba said the commission issued 8,294 notices of suspension and 1,985 notices of disallowance against the DPWH over the last 10 years. </p><p>Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Eli San Fernando requested a list of all supervising auditors in flood control projects, especially those tagged as “anomalous.”  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/9/10/flood-control-scandal-harms-ph-business-reputation-biz-group-1911">Flood control scandal harms PH reputation among business community, foreign countries: PCCI</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/disacayas-says-corrupt-officials-used-them-in-anomalous-bidding-1114">Discaya couple says lawmakers, DPWH execs &#x27;used&#x27; them in flood control anomalies</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/marcos-jr-says-no-more-budget-for-flood-control-projects-in-2026-2044">Marcos Jr. says no more budget for flood control projects in 2026</a></div><div><iframe width="1250" height="703" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7S1wZz9PMdw" title="Contractor na asawa ng COA commissioner pinaiimbestigahan | TV Patrol" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima warned Thursday that lawmakers could initiate impeachment proceedings against Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Mario Lipana over his wife’s involvement in flood control projects.</p>

ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima warned Thursday that lawmakers could initiate impeachment proceedings against Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Mario Lipana over his wife’s involvement in flood control projects.

De Lima warns of impeachment vs COA commissioner married to DPWH contractor

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De Lima warns of impeachment vs COA commissioner married to DPWH contractor

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 11, 2025 03:24 PM PHT

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