COTABATO CITY -- The chairperson of the Bangsamoro Parliament's Blue Ribbon Committee is calling for the indefinite leave of absence of the region's education minister amid a Commission on Audit (CoA) investigation into a P2.2 billion fund controversy.
Member of Parliament and lawyer Rasol Mitmug's request came as the CoA's central office began its special audit Friday into the alleged irregularities, particularly a P1.77 billion disbursement made in a single day.
The CoA's Manila office formally requested the cooperation of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) officials for the audit.
Mitmug urged Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua to ask Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal to step down to protect the integrity of the investigation and prevent any obstruction of the audit process.
According to Mitmug, the CoA’s decision to conduct a special audit was prompted by reports that the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) disbursed P1.77 billion on 7 March for Learners’ and Teachers’ Kits.
The payment allegedly bypassed standard financial scrutiny and signatures required to ensure the legality of government funds.
In a letter to Chief Minister Macacua, CoA chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba confirmed that the complaints against Iqbal "require the conduct of a special audit" and requested assistance for the audit team.
The P1.77 billion disbursement is the largest in a series of complaints against the MBHTE, which controls a substantial portion of the Bangsamoro government’s budget at more than P36 billion. The amount represents nearly one-third of the BARMM's total budget.
Other allegations under investigation include a P449 million payment to a single supplier under "questionable circumstances." Reports said that sworn affidavits have been signed by witnesses detailing these and other irregularities, including the alleged selling of teaching items.
The findings of the special audit will determine whether the complaints will lead to administrative or criminal charges.