Dinipensahan ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM) ang pagkakaroon ng ‘newcomers’ sa confidential at intelligence fund allocation.
Sa interpelasyon ni KABATAAN Party-list Representative Raoul Manuel, natanong nito kung ano ba ang pakinabang o maitutulong ng paglalaan ng CIF sa ating ekonomiya.
Sa 2024 budget kasi, maliban sa Office of the President, Office of the Vice President at Department of Education, mayroon ding CIF fund ang:
- DICT – ₱300 million (confidential funds)
- BOC – ₱30.5 million
- DFA – ₱5 million
- DA – ₱50 million
- National Defense –₱60 million (intel)
- PSG General Headquarters – ₱60 million
- National Security Council – P
₱30 million (confidential funds) - OPAPRU – ₱6 million (confidential funds)
- Office of the Ombudsman – ₱20.46 million (confidential funds)
Paliwanag ni DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, pinapayagan ito salig na rin sa nilalaman ng General Appropriations Act.
“Under the GAA, intelligence funds are allowed, if used as and shall be released for intelligence activities only. While confidential funds can be used, for example, in GAA section 85, ‘confidential funds are authorized and shall be released and disbursed upon the approval of the department secretary and can be used to related to surveillance activities in civilian government agencies that are intended to support the mandate or operations of the agency,’” paliwanag ni Pangandaman.
Inusisa rin ni Manuel ang DBM kung bakit ang isang civilian agency gaya ng Office of the President (OP) ay mayroong intel funds gayong para lamang ito sa military at intel agencies.
Tugon naman ni Pangandaman, na gaya ng sa sitwasyon ng OP, mayroon itong intel fund dahil na rin sa nasa-ilalim nito ang Presidential Security Group. | ulat ni Kathleen Jean Forbes
