By Ella Dionisio

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday evening said he will audit the Commission on Audit (COA) once he wins as vice president on the next year's polls.

Duterte made the statement after he questioned who checks on the state-auditors.

"But just tell me, I am really trying to figure it out in this democratic set up. Who audits COA? That is my question," he said during his taped 'Talk to the People'.

Duterte said it is a problem if no one is checking on COA.

"You are the one who looks (on the agencies) but no one can look at you. That's the problem," he said.

"Somebody should do it. I will do that if I become vice president... I will audit the entire government, including my office. I will start with me," he said.

Duterte reiterated his appeal to COA to give the administration "elbow room" as the country is facing problems due to pandemic

"It is not easy really to comply. We know that we should comply, there is no problem about it. But can we have just enough elbow room?" Duterte said.

"Do not adopt the standards of the pre-pandemic days. We have a problem here," he added.

Duterte has been attacking the COA after a lot of agencies under the executive department were questioned over discrepancies on their budget use.

Due to this, hearings from the House of Representative and Senate are being held particularly against the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Duterte told the public to not believe in hearings, saying nothing happens.

"Do not believe those investigations. You can see that nothing is happening. They are only saying 'we will investigate'," he said.

Duterte said some senators are just saying a lot of issues but after the hearings no recommendation was made, no one face charges and gets detained. DMS