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COA Auditor dies of heart attack amid DOH’s spending “deficiences” controversy

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Amidst the controversies surrounding on Commission on Audit (COA) audit report on the Department of Health’s (DOH) P67B mismanaged Covid-19 funds, there’s one unfortunate blow revealed by former COA Commissioner Heidi Mendoza on her Facebook that almost slip the radar. Mendoza announced that the COA-UN Auditor who signed off on the DOH and on the DICT red flags have died of a heart attack due to “stress”.

Atty. Jake Cimafranca passed on August 4 while the DOH is under fire for fund irregularities. Atty. Cimafranca is the auditor behind the DOH report.

“Today I weep for my fomer colleague. A Coa-UN auditor who just died of heart attack. He is the auditor behind DoH report. Stress can kill, please let us offer a minute of prayer! Sa Team Leader ng DoH, Jake, may the heaven open up snd receive your soul together with all our prayers for the country and the institution we served ! Condolences to your family and the Coa family specially the Resident Audit Team in Dept of Health,” Mendoza wrote on Facebook on August 17.

Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said the DOH plan to procure four laptops worth P700,000 “for the use of knowledge management and information technology,” was put on hold pending market research after COA flagged the questionable spendings by the health department.

In DOH’s defense, President Rodrigo Duterte castigated COA and told them to stop publishing its audit reports since they put government officials in a bad light. Duterte cursed COA and at one point said officials should just ignore its recommendations.

The president likewise said he would not accept the resignation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III should the latter offer to step down from his post for “deficiencies” in the management of P67-billion pandemic funds.

Duque turned emotional during a House committee hearing Tuesday as he condemned COA for destroying DOH’s reputation when it published a report on DOH’s spending “deficiencies.”

Duque said the independent constitutional body, tasked to examine, audit and settle all accounts and expenditures of government funds, did not give the health department enough time to report on their actions following COA’s recommendations.

“Mula noong lumabas ito hindi na ako nakakatulog, bakit kanyo, dahil sa kahihiyan. Kung ganito nang ganito tayo, papaano tayo uunlad na ang mga civil servants natin na maganda ang ginagawa. Alam namin sinasabi ninyo eh. I think COA should also consider.

We are operating under a public health emergency. Winarak na n’yo kami eh. Winarak na ninyo. Andami-daming sinasabi. Wala pa rin akong tulog, ilang gabi na ito. It is really unfair and unjust.

Masakit po sa amin ito. Sabi ko nga nagkasakit na ang mga tao ko…por Diyos por santo, maawa naman kayo… kayo nga ang pumunta dito at kayo ang gumawa,” said the almost teary-eyed health secretary.

Anonymous

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