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FACT CHECK: FALSE post on Heidi Mendoza’s UN appointment resurfaces

WHAT WAS CLAIMED

Former president Noynoy Aquino rewarded Heidi Mendoza with a UN nomination.

OUR VERDICT

False:

Former president Noynoy Aquino did not reward Heidi Mendoza with a nomination for a United Nations post. It was the UN’s former secretary-general who appointed the former COA commissioner.

By VERA Files

Apr 11, 2025

2-minute read
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A 2018 Facebook post of columnist Bobi Tiglao claiming that the late president Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III rewarded former Commission on Audit (COA) commissioner Heidi Mendoza with a United Nations nomination has resurfaced online. This is false. 

The item reappeared as early as March 25 after X and Thread users reposted the screenshot of the original post, which reads: 

Remember her? An Aquino appointee to the COA who had retired already, she falsely testified (portraying herself to be objective as she was with COA) that $28 million entered Corona’s dollar holdings.  She devilishly counted a $100 deposit and a $100 withdrawal as $200. In reality, Corona had just $1 m. When she was ordered out of the witness stand, Ombudsman Morales simply read Heidi’s false report.

Aquino of course richly rewarded her by nominating her to that UN post.

Ang kapal nito na sasalita-salita pa ngayon, (She is so shameless and now continues to talk) claiming COA is a respected institution. It was she who made COA Aquino’s deadly weapon.

heidi mendoza fact check quote card

Mendoza was nominated by former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon for the position of undersecretary-general for the Office of Internal Oversight Services in 2015. 

She was appointed COA commissioner in April 2011, but there is no evidence to show her UN nomination was a reward for her role in the trial of former chief justice Renato Corona, who was impeached in December of 2011, and convicted in May 2012. 

It was her qualifications and extensive experience in audit and anti-corruption work that were key factors in her selection for the UN post.. 

Mendoza is now an independent candidate seeking a Senate seat, running on a platform of anti-corruption, transparency and accountability in governance.

The two posts published on X by Mr. Xi and ElizaX1123581 received a combined 7,126 views, 85 reshares, 20 comments and 84 likes.Meanwhile, a screenshot of the same content was posted by Senoritoroy in Threads, which garnered 176 likes, 39 comments, 29 reposts, and 12 shares.

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