06/09/2025
๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐, ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ
๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐, ๐๐๐๐
The Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) issues this statement to clarify the events that transpired earlier yesterday, September 5, 2025, at the MBHTE Main Office, Bangsamoro Government Center, Cotabato City.
At around 7:30 a.m., elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP), together with other armed personnel from the Marines and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), entered the MBHTE premises and assisted the Special Auditing Team (SAT) of the Commission on Audit โ BARMM in the retrieval of documents from the Office of the Resident COA Auditor of the Ministry.
The Ministry underscores the following circumstances that transpired during the retrieval:
1. The Lead Auditor of the COA Special Audit Team was not present at the MBHTE premises during the retrieval of documents.
2. Only a photocopy of the Memorandum Order purportedly issued by the COA Chairperson was presented to justify the operation.
3. There was no prior coordination with the MBHTE, nor was a Mission Order presented by the armed personnel from the Marines, AFP, and PNP who entered the premises.
4. The documents were physically handled by uniformed personnel instead of COA staff.
5. The presence of heavily armed law enforcement and military personnel in full battle gear inside the Ministry premises was uncalled for. Such an approach caused disruption of work, and unnecessary fear and alarm among the employees of MBHTE, who were merely performing their daily functions in service of the Bangsamoro people.
6. The MBHTE is now conducting a careful review of the incident and will explore the appropriate legal remedies available to it under the circumstances.
While the MBHTE reiterates its commitment to adhere to all lawful auditing processes, we also hope that future undertakings of this nature will be carried out with due regard for coordination, appropriateness, and respect for the working environment of civilian personnel.
Mohagher M. Iqbal
Minister