Bato defends support for VP Sara's confidential fund request | ABS-CBN

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Bato defends support for VP Sara's confidential fund request

Bato defends support for VP Sara's confidential fund request

ABS-CBN News

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MANILA — Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Thursday defended his support for the confidential fund request of Vice President Sara Duterte.

"I maintain my position that as far as myself is concerned ang sa akin is wala akong pakialam sa Office of the Vice President kung tanggalan nila 'yan ng confidential fund despite it being the second-highest office of the land," he said in an ANC Headstart interview.

"Alam nating may confidential fund ang Office of the President why not give confidential fund to the Office of the Vice President?" he added.

"'Di naman dapat nating i-zero. Kung i-zero natin 'yan ginawa n'yong inutil, sinong makikinabang? 'Yung enemies of the state."

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The Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), both headed by Duterte, are requesting a combined P650 million in confidential funds for 2024.

The House of Representatives stripped those requests by Duterte along with other civilian agencies and realigned them to security offices.

In the interview, Dela Rosa, a former police chief, said it is important for DepEd to be granted confidential funds, saying the agency will need them for surveillance of alleged communist rebel recruitment in schools.

Duterte said previously that the confidential fund would be used for programs against "sexual grooming," "active shooter copycats," "insurgency recruitment" of children, and possible drug involvement of learners.

Dela Rosa's defense came after a news report bared that he and 8 other senators during an executive session wanted to reinstate Duterte's confidential fund requests.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, one of the senators who reportedly backed the return of Duterte's confidential funds, said the leak was a clear violation of the rules on confidentiality.

The Senate would conduct an investigation into the leak, Dela Rosa said.

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