Senate minority keen on realigning confidential funds of non-security agencies | ABS-CBN

ADVERTISEMENT

dpo-dps-seal
Welcome, Kapamilya! We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Continuing to use this site means you agree to our use of cookies. Tell me more!

News

Senate minority keen on realigning confidential funds of non-security agencies

Senate minority keen on realigning confidential funds of non-security agencies

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Nov 15, 2022 10:20 PM PHT

Clipboard

(UPDATED) Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and his ally, Senator Risa Hontiveros, have vowed to recommend the realignment of Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIFs) in the proposed P5.268-trillion 2023 national budget of the Marcos Jr. administration.

Interviewed Tuesday, Pimentel said portions of the P9.3 billion CIF, specifically, government agencies that have no connection in intelligence or information and data gathering, must be stripped of the CIF.

Among the agencies that the minority bloc was referring to, include the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education which are both being held by Vice President Sara Duterte.

For year 2023, the OVP will receive a P500 million confidential fund, and the DepEd with a P150 million confidential fund.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I hope my colleagues in the Senate agree that there are no extraordinarily compelling reasons to provide a confidential fund to the education agency at mas magagamit natin itong confidential funds sa mas mahahalagang prioridad sa mga batang mag-aaral na pinag-usapan natin sa ating interpellation. So at the proper time I will make the proper proposed motion, the proposed amendment on the realignment,” Hontiveros said during her Monday night interpellation in the DepEd budget.

“Yang OVP Confidential Fund at DepEd Confidential Fund ay na-categorize natin sa bago. Meaning to say, wala naman yan sa 2022 budget eh. Wala silang Confidential Fund. So ibig sabihin, sumusubok mag-umpisa ng gastusin, practice of 2023 budget. Wag na nating umpisahan,” Pimentel, when interviewed Tuesday said.

Pimentel, during Monday’s budget discussion, said the OVP’s P500 million CF can be more helpful if it will be realigned to the Philippine Postal Corporation or other programs or agencies in need like the Supplemental Feeding Program; Senior Citizen Law; Bureau of Fire Protection; Children’s Hospital and the National Anti-Poverty Commission.

The idea, however, does not sit well with Angara who maintained that the OVP’s budget must remain untouched as a sign of respect to Vice President Duterte.

Pimentel assured the public, they will still push for the realignment of CFs to other agencies even if they are outnumbered.

Should they fail in their bid, it will be up for the Senate majority bloc to explain to the people why they ignored the needs of other government agencies.

Pimentel said, they will also include the Office of the President in their CF motion.

“As a compromise, siguro yung P2.5B nya na Confidential Funds, hayaan na natin, pero hindi siya intelligence practitioner eh. User yun ng intelligence eh, intelligence information. So yung P2.5 billion na Intelligence Fund pwedeng i-let go,” Pimentel said.

Meantime before the Commission on Audit’s proposed P12.1 billion proposed budget was given a go-signal, Senator Francis Escudero quizzed the COA for not disclosing the government’s expenses in the COVID-19 vaccine procurement.

Angara said only the Department of Health and the vaccine suppliers had actual access to the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) documents.

Meantime, other former Senate leaders seem to be closely monitoring the budget deliberation developments in the Upper House.

Former Senate President Vicente Sotto III reminded the chamber’s leaders to practice due diligence as far the people’s money is concerned.

"Active oversight functions should be exercised. The minority leader is member of all comms. The SP should encourage the oversight chairpersons to practice due diligence in guarding the people’s money,” Sotto, in a text message, said.

Former Senate President Franklin Drilon meantime warned that the CIF, if unmonitored, is “open to abuse.”

“Unless checked, the use of the CIF is open to abuse. Moreover, the agencies entitled to CIF should be limited to those involved only in national security and peace and order,” Drilon, in a statement said.

Meantime, former Senator Panfilo Lacson reminded his former colleagues on the existing Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Confidential Funds.

“We have organized and activated a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Confidential Funds. Its primary function is to exercise congressional oversight on how such funds are utilized. The committee can demand, if it so desires the submission of pertinent documents to justify disbursements of CIF’s such as approved intelligence project proposals and the like,” Lacson said.

He added: “The minority bloc is an indispensable part of the select committee. The present Senate can constitute such select committee by electing its members and thereafter exercise it functions.”

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

It looks like you’re using an ad blocker

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.

Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.