MANILA (UCAN): Filipinos have paid rich tribute to Jake Cimafranca, the 39-year-old state auditor who spearheaded the investigation into the 67.3 billion peso [$10.4 billion] misuse of Covid-19 funds by the Philippine Department of Health.
The lawyer recently died of a heart attack, possibly caused by stress brought on by working to examine deficiencies in the use of Covid-19 funds by high-ranking health officials on behalf of the country’s Commission on Audit [COA]—which is mandated by law to examine government funds and expenditure.
“Not all heroes wear capes. Some work at the Commission on Audit,” De La Salle Brother Armin Luistro said.
Jesuit Father Albert Alejo praised Cimafranca’s team for having the perseverance to do what duty had called them to do.
“We salute those who did their job in the Commission on Audit. Heroes are not only the dead. There are also heroes who are living, those who continue to strive for better and transparent governance,” the Jesuit priest said.
Public funds are people’s money. Ergo, justice demands transparency and accountability
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo
On August 17, former COA commissioner, Heidi Mendoza, wrote on her Facebook page: “Today I weep for my former colleague. A COA-UN auditor who just died of a heart attack. He is the auditor behind the Department of Health report. Stress can kill. Please let us offer a minute of prayer.”
Mendoza offered condolences to Cimafranca’s family and the resident audit team in the Department of Health while lamenting how Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, had disregarded Cimafranca’s report, saying there was no mishandling of public funds.
Instead Duterte defended the department and his cabinet members and rubbished the audit report.
“I do not know but it could run counter to public policy if you don’t publish it [report]. Just to inform the people of what is going on. But to the issue of whether the money has been stolen, that is pure bullshit,” Duterte said on national television on August 16.
The president said he did not believe the report because it is “impossible” to steal 67.3 billion pesos from public coffers.
“Many workers were placed in a bad light because of the COA report. But deficiencies are legal, like this 67.3 billion, like that, people think it was stolen. The money is there,” Duterte said.
But state auditors insisted the deficiencies were caused by non-compliance with pertinent laws, rules and regulations in government spending as mandated by law.
Caritas Philippines lauded the firm stance of state auditors in reporting to the public the government’s use of public funds, CBCPNews reported on August 19.
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, the national director, urged people to support the COA in flagging misuses and abuses of public funds “to finally serve justice”.
Bishop Bagaforo said, “Public funds are people’s money. Ergo, justice demands transparency and accountability.” He called on taxpayers, all sectors and stakeholders to rally behind the COA and protect its independence.
The bishop pointed out that it is a “moral obligation” to let the public know where their money goes.
“Our president must not forget the cardinal rule for all civil servants: public service is public trust,” Bagaforo added.
