More authorities civilian companies are actually asking for confidential funds below their proposed price range for 2024, Raffy Tima reported Tuesday on “24 Oras.”
According to GMA Integrated News Research, 28 companies have formally sought confidential funds of their 2024 price range, up from the 21 places of work asking for such appropriation in 2016.
The Department of Budget and Management earlier stated the overall quantity of confidential and intelligence funds throughout all companies within the proposed 2024 price range is P10.14 billion, together with P4.5 billion for the Office of the President (P2.25 billion confidential and P2.31 billion intelligence fund) and P500 million for the Office of the Vice President.
A Joint Circular No. 2015-01 of the Commission on Audit (COA) recognized confidential funds as allocations that civilian authorities companies use for surveillance actions supporting their mandate.
This is completely different from the intelligence fund (IF) which is being utilized by the uniformed, navy personnel, and intelligence practitioners in sourcing data associated to nationwide safety.
For Dr. Maria Fe Mendoza of the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG), the rise in civilian companies asking for the funds could also be because of adjustments within the nation’s wants.
‘Doon sa ating nakaraan, ang confidential funds ay parang nilalaan lang sa OP. Kasi nga kailangan siyang may confidential funds for special pet projects kasi ang OP, parang ang assumption doon, supervision of all the agencies of government so may kaniya kaniya silang flagship programs,” Mendoza said.
(The confidential fund was being allocated to the OP alone before because the assumption was that it supervises all the agencies so it has its pet programs.)
“Ngayon tiningnan nila na ang national security hindi lang peace and order or yung problema natin sa defense or sa mga terrorists kung hindi kasama na rin yung food security,” she added.
(Now, we see that national security is not only peace and order or defense but also about food security.)
Mendoza said the COA still audits the funds but cannot publish the reports on the utilization of the budget.
“Pag tatanungin mo, bibigyan ka ng datos na, ay hindi namin madi-disclose kasi nga confidential,” she added.
(If you ask for data, they would say that they cannot disclose because they are confidential.)
The UP professor said it may be hard to contradict government offices when they ask for confidential and intelligence funds (CIF), especially if they will be used for their mandate. However, she said that CIF should instead be used or programs that directly help Filipinos.
“‘Yung intelligence funds ilagay talaga natin sa mga intelligence agencies para mas magamit nila yun, kesa sa spread out mo yun sa kung ano anong agencies na baka naman kokonti lang ang ambag,” Mendoza added.
(The intelligence funds should be focused on intelligence agencies instead of spreading out to offices.)
Recently, Vice President Sara Duterte said that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) requested confidential funds in August 2022 and received the allocation in December that year.
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday questioned the transfer of allocation in 2022 to confidential funds that didn’t exist that year in the OVP.
The Makabayan bloc at the House of Representatives led by Deputy Minority Leader France Castro also raised questions about the OVP’s confidential allocation.
“Senator Risa Hontiveros, while she amuses the nation with her flair for drama, could only wish the 2022 OVP confidential fund was accessed illegally,” the Vice President said.
“It’s a disgrace they nonetheless can’t produce any proof to assist their soiled creativeness. The indignity they’ve induced Congress and the Senate must be sufficient for us to not give them critical consideration,” she stated.
Hontiveros fired again to Duterte, saying: “Trabaho lang, walang drama. Hindi ko kailangang mag-‘wish’ na na-access ng opisina niyo nang ilegal ang confidential funds. Dalawang former Senate President na ang nagsabi — Sen. Drilon at Sen. Pimentel — na yung paglipat ng pondo mula OP to OVP ay ilegal at unconstitutional”.
(Pure work and no drama. I don’t have to want for his or her workplace to illegally entry the funds. Two former senate presidents have stated it was unlawful and unconstitutional.)
The Vice President additionally hit Castro and the Makabayan bloc after they inquired concerning the fund switch.
“You took out words doon sa batas and you interpret it this way. Sabi nila ‘wag niyo na basahin ang tatlong words yan. Basta makinig lang kayo sa interpretation namin’. ‘Yan ang ginagawa ni France Castro ngayon at ng buong Makabayan bloc kasi alam nila na ginagamit namin ang pera para hanapin ang connection nila sa NPA,” Duterte stated.
(You took out phrases doon sa batas and also you interpret it this fashion. They stated ‘don’t learn these three phrases. Just hearken to our interpretation’. That’s what Castro and the Makabayan do as a result of they know that we’re utilizing the fund to hint their connection to the NPA.)—LDF, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
