Hontiveros: Robredo had no confidential funds | ABS-CBN

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Hontiveros: Robredo had no confidential funds

Hontiveros: Robredo had no confidential funds

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

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MANILA - “Walang bumanat sa confidential funds ni dating VP Leni dahil wala siyang confidential funds.”

This was what opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said in response to her critics’ remark that her non-stop calling out of Vice President Sara Duterte regarding her two agencies’ request for confidential funds, was in contrast to her silence during Vice President Leni Robredo’s time.

The issue stemmed from Duterte's requested P500 million for the Office of the Vice President and another P150 million for the Department of Education, both of which she heads.

Hontiveros said criticizing the Vice President's confidential funds is nothing personal, but a must to guard the interest of the people.

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“Yung pagbanat na yun sa confidential funds ni VP Sara ay hindi pagbanat sa persona ni VP Sara. Pagbanat siya doon sa sobrang laki at wala sa lugar na confidential funds. At yun ay tamang pagbanat lamang dahil yun din yung tanong ng mamamayan,” Hontiverios told journalists.

“Ang confi funds ay galing sa buwis ng mamamayan, hawak in trust ng gobyerno at dapat lamang naman talaga namin siyang i-appropriate sa mga ahensya na may mandato talaga at expertise talaga sa national defense at/o sa public safety,” she added.

Hontiveros added that even those from the majority bloc in the Senate and the House of Representatives are frowning on the CF issue.

“Ang House of Representatives mismo, ang mismo kanilang Appropriations Committee chair na miyembro ng mayorya doon, ang mga partido sa House ang nagsabing nagkasundo na daw sila na ang mga confi funds ng mga civilian agencies at kalaunan tinukoy nila ang OVP at DepEd ay ililipat sa mga tamang ahensya,” the senator said.

“At yun din yung nakikita kong trend dito sa Senado. Mula sa amin sa minorya ay umapaw din sa mayorya. Nagkaroon pa nga ng Select Oversight Committee on Confidential and Intelligence Funds. Mismong si SP ang nagche-chair. Active din kami sa minorya. So lumampas na talaga sa usapin ng pulitika ito," she added.

Hontiveros also junked perceptions that her adamant stand against the CF is election-related.

She said the current CF debate is beneficial to the public.

“Itong mga debate tungkol sa bardagulan tungkol sa confidential funds ay naging pagkakataon ng public education tungkol sa entitlement ng mamamayan dahil galing sa atin ang buwis na yan, ang perang iyan at dapat lang maging accountable kaming mga nagtatrabaho sa gobyerno,” Hontiveros explained.

Interviewed at the sideline of the Senate Finance Committee hearing, Hontiveros welcomed the proposal of retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna, for Congress to create a law that would clearly define CF, a defined checklist for this fund, and how its spending will be reported to the public afterward.

“Mayroon lang parang practice na yung mga nakakatanggap ng confidential and intel funds ay kailangan pa ring magsumite ng report in a sealed envelope sa ilan lamang government officials, ang Presidente, ang Senate President, ang House Speaker at ang COA Chair na maaari o maaaring hindi nila buksan. So ibig sabihin, hindi subject sa kasing-higpit na accounting ng COA tulad sa lahat ng funds appropriated sa GAA (General Appropriations Act),” she said.

"Ang gandang bunga pati nitong naging mainit at mabuti mainit na usapan tungkol sa confidential funds. Pag-aralan namin yung Azcuna proposal," Hontiveros added.

Even giving a second look at the local government units' confidential funds is also reasonable, she said.

“Dahil may mga konkreto at nakakagulat na mga halimbawa diyan. Bakit umabot sa P460 million per year ang kay dating Mayor Sara Duterte sa Davao, samantala yung ibang malalaking LGUs din, Makati, Manila, Cebu, ni hindi umabot sa P100 million. Mapapatanong ka talaga, bakit ano ba mayroon sa Davao? Inaagaw din ba yan ng Tsina katulad ng West Philippine Sea? So talagang ripe for study at saka appropriate legislation, if ever, itong kabuuang confi and intel funds na yung confi funds sa civilian government units mula national hanggang local,” Hontiveros said.

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