Fraud audit requested for BARMM's P6.4B fund usage

A House panel in the Philippines has requested the Commission on Audit (COA) to perform a fraud audit on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) regarding its use of P6.4 billion from the Local Government Support Fund. The call for the audit was made during a public accounts committee hearing, where concerns were raised about the alleged misuse of funds by BARMM's Office of the Chief Minister. Lawmakers noted the absence of BARMM officials, who cited Ramadan as their reason for not attending. Some lawmakers expressed concern that BARMM officials might use their autonomy to avoid accountability in future hearings. They emphasized the importance of oversight, as the funds in question are managed through the national government.