Ex-COA auditor begs off from AFP corruption probe

An emotional Heidi Mendoza on Thursday appealed to the Senate blue ribbon committee to "spare" her from participating in any more inquiries regarding the alleged corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). "I am appealing to this committee to spare me from causing additional harm to people who I worked with and to people who stood with me all the way," the former government auditor-turned-whistleblower said before the Senate committee hearing ended on Thursday.
Mendoza made the appeal after she was reportedly accused of smearing the reputation of the Commission on Audit (COA). But she explained that that was never her intention and that she had dedicated a large part of her life to the COA. "I was your auditor and I am an auditor until now," she said. She likewise said that she "salutes" the men and women of COA, who stood for a cause despite "pressures." "I am not destroying the institution. I want reforms within the system. I want a clean government," she said. Mendoza, however, said that she has done enough for the investigation and that it is time for her to stop. "Andami ko na po kasing sinakripisyo... pagod na pagod na pagod na po ako [I have sacrificed so much... I am very, very, very tired]. Spare me from further attendance from this hearing," she said. Blue ribbon committee chairman Senator Teofisto Guingona III, for his part, accepted Mendoza's request and said that they will just incorporate what she said during the House hearing. "We will respect your wishes," Guingona said. The Senate panel is expected to continue its hearing on the alleged corrupt practices in the AFP on Monday morning.—Kimberly Jane T. Tan/JV, GMANews.TV