MANILA — BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has removed Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal from office after a Commission on Audit (COA) special report flagged widespread irregularities in the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education’s multibillion-peso procurement transactions.
Macacua’s May 11, 2026 letter instructed Iqbal to resign immediately or be considered resigned by May 18, citing serious governance concerns arising from the audit findings.
According to COA, the ministry failed to impose penalties worth P1.06 million despite a 520-day delay in delivering P30.9 million worth of school armchairs. The report said this violated procurement law and contractual obligations.
The audit also highlighted 53 contracts valued at P1.95 billion that were awarded despite procurement deficiencies, including improperly documented joint ventures, late submission of performance securities, and irregular sworn statements. These issues, COA said, should have disqualified the winning bidders.
Further findings showed that the lack of timely performance securities exposed the government to risks, including one case involving CNX Mini Mart and a P4.7-million Education Summit contract.
COA also discovered that 73 disbursement vouchers worth P2.24 million were paid out without complete documentation, relying only on internal certifications from ministry personnel.
Macacua said the audit has already led to initial disallowance notices and warned that more financial liabilities may follow, adding that the situation undermines reform efforts and erodes public confidence in BARMM governance.
