Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6) — President Rodrigo Duterte asked the Commission on Audit to reconsider its audit report calling for the return of P5 million diverted from funds of the housing and urban development agency to pay for the pilgrimage of Muslim Filipinos last year.

Duterte, in a speech Thursday to mark the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, said COA must recognize the importance of the hajj for Muslim Filipinos. The hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, and is part of the religious duties of physically able Muslims.

"I'm asking COA to reconsider. Ano ba naman 'yan P5 million [What is P5 million anyway]," he told an audience of mostly Muslim Filipinos in his hometown Davao City.

It is the second time in over a week that Duterte has asked an independent constitutional body to reconsider its decision. In a speech in Japan on May 30, he also asked the independent Commission on Elections to "dispose" of its election technology provider Smartmatic following glitches and delays in the release of vote tallies in the May midterm elections. He reiterated that call to the COMELEC on Thursday.

The COA, in its 2018 report, recommended that the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council return the P5 million diverted from the Task Force Bangon Marawi funds for the rehabilitation of the war-torn city. It said its use to send 27 internally displaced persons of Marawi City to Mecca was an unauthorized expense. The audit body also asked HUDCC to refrain from charging unrelated expenses to the task force's fund.

Duterte, however, said the COA should reconsider the fund transfer as an act of generosity to the elderly Muslim Filipinos who have yet to complete their religious duty.

"'Yung pilgrimage sa Hajj, mas importante 'yan para sa mga Muslim kaysa isang mansyon [The pilgrimage, it's more important for Muslims than a mansion]. You can forget about the housing there that are being planned by government.," he added.

He also said that under his term as Davao City Mayor, there have been funds for the Islamic pilgrimage for elderly Muslim Filipinos since 1988. The President claimed the tradition is being continued by incumbent mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio.

"Ngayon, kung ipa-reimburse mo 'yan, san naman ako maghanap ng pera? Eh di magpakulong na lang ako," he said.

[Translation: If you ask to reimburse it, where will I return the funds? Then I will just go to jail.]

He also told COA not to go after him, his daughter, and HUDCC chief Eduardo del Rosario for the fund transfer -- or else people in Mindanao will revolt.

"It's not a financing of a religious journey. Do not take it in that sense. That is the separation of church and state. Take it as a pacification campaign," he explained.

Del Rosario earlier appealed to the audit body to allow the disbursement of the funds.

“Everything is above board, everything is transparent. Any agency is welcome, private or even government, to look at the transaction of this 5 million for Hajj,” Del Rosario said.

The President then said there is a price to pay for peace.

"All of you, you want peace? Let us invest on peace. Gumastos ka. Hindi mo binibili dito. Tinutulungan mo lang ang kapwa mong Pilipino na ang relihiyon, Islam," he said.

[Translation: All of you, you want peace? Let us invest on peace. You have to spend. You don't buy it. You're just helping your fellow Filipinos whose religion is Islam.]

Article VI, Section 29, of the Constitution reads: "No public money or property shall be appropriated, applied, paid, or employed, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, sectarian institution, or system of religion, or of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher, or dignitary as such, except when such priest, preacher, minister, or dignitary is assigned to the armed forces, or to any penal institution, or government orphanage or leprosarium."