THE sponsor of the proposed 2024 budget of the Office of the Vice President at the House of Representatives yesterday said confidential funds should not be exclusively used to protect of the country’s interests in the West Philippines Sea (WPS).
Davao de Oro Rep. Ma. Carmen Zamora, who sponsored the OVP’s proposed P2.3 billion budget for next year in the House plenary, insisted the OVP’s request for a P500 million confidential fund is justified because the use of such funds include “surveillance and monitoring” in connection with national security.
“Confidential funds (are) not only used for the West Philippine Sea… (these) can be used for monitoring and surveillance of whatever programs of the OVP,” Zamora said in defense of the OVP’s request.
“The OVP, in its request and proposal for another confidential fund for the calendar year 2024, is consistent with its reason in requesting the said funds since last year, which aims to use the fund for the safe implementation of its programs and activities,” Zamora told the floor on the questioning of Rep. Raoul Manuel (PL, Kabataan), a member of the Makabayan bloc.
Manuel said the OVP’s planned use of its confidential fund is not in line with the House’s intention, which is to prioritize the allocation of confidential and intelligence funds to agencies directly dealing with the protection of the country’s territorial interests in the WPS.
The discussion started after leaders of political parties allied with the House administration coalition on Wednesday called for the re-allocation of confidential funds of civilian agencies to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and three other agencies that are at the forefront of protecting the country’s territorial interests in the WPS.
Rep. Zaldy Co (PL, Ako Bicol), chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, said the realigned confidential funds may be sourced from the OVP’s proposed P500 million confidential funds and the Department of Education’s (DepEd) P150 million proposed budget for the same purpose.
Manuel stressed: “That’s why it’s prudent for the House to reject the request of the OVP (for confidential funds in 2024).”
Zamora also said during yesterday’s discussion: “To make a point, the OVP is not just a spare tire of the President but is part of the policy-making body of the President… the desire of the OVP to propose data-driven policies, information from the ground is very vital.”
Manuel however said the OVP’s budget sponsor is “diverging from intent of leaders of House “not to allocate such funds if it is not related to the defense of national sovereignty.”
Zamora insisted again that the fund is not solely for the protection of the WPS, prompting Manuel to ask if the OVP’s programs such as “Libreng Sakay” has anything to do with protecting the national sovereignty.
“Mayroon po bang mga Libreng Sakay na gagawin natin sa West Philippine Sea o sa mga contested na mga isla? (Will there be free rides to the West Philippine Sea or to islands that are being contested?)” Manuel asked. “Hindi po in line sa intent ng House ang proposal ng OVP na manghingi ng confidential fund for 2024. Kasi ang mga binabanggit na programs, medical and burial assistance programs, Libreng Sakay, ‘Magnegosyo ta ‘Day’ — tingin ko, Mr. Speaker, wala naman do’ng directly-related sa defense ng West Philippine Sea (The proposal of the OVP for confidential funds is not in line with the intent of the House.
Because the programs mentioned, like medical and burial assistance programs, Libreng Sakay, Magnegosyo ta ‘Day, I think, Mr. Speaker, these are not directly related to defending WPS).”
‘FLAWED, INVALID’
The OVP has been in hot water for its use of P125 million in confidential funds which was transferred from the Office of the President’s contingent fund, a move which critics like Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said is illegal.
Lagman was able to obtain a copy of the Department of Budget and Management’s Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) covering the release of the P125 million fund, which he said “confirms two overriding facts: the source of the 125M is the President’s contingent fund and the purpose of the SARO (which) is to grant confidential funds to the OVP.”
“The contingent fund cannot be given to an agency as confidential funds when such agency has not been allocated any confidential fund in the 2022 GAA. Otherwise, this would derogate the clear intention of the Congress not to allocate confidential funds to the OVP which, in the first place, was not requested by the then-Vice President Leni Robredo,” said the opposition lawmaker.
Moreover, Lagman, a former chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, said the contingent fund cannot be used for confidential expenses which makes the SARO “flawed and invalid.”
The OVP also clarified that the P125 million was spent by in 19 days, as earlier disclosed by the Makabayan bloc, and not 11 as stated by Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, senior vice chair of the appropriations panel.
“To say that the Office of the Vice President spent the confidential funds in 11 days, the Office submits its stand that it is inaccurate, Mr. Speaker, your Honor. The report of (the) COA (Commission on Audit), which is the basis of the report of COA for the utilization of the fund, starts from December 20 to 31 (which is) 11 days,” Zamora told the floor.
Zamora said the implementation of the programs started on the day that the SARO was released, on December 13, “which means immediately after the release of SARO, the implementation has already started.”
OMBUDSMAN
In the Senate, Ombudsman Samuel Martires yesterday said his office is willing to give up its proposed P51 million confidential funds for next year if it will only “taint the reputation of the office, as well as the Ombudsman.”
Martires, during the Senate deliberation of the agency’s proposed budget for next year, said the Department of Budget and Management has allocated P51 million in confidential funds for the Office of the Ombudsman, but the Senate can either reduce it or even do away with it.
Martires said the Office of the Ombudsman has been receiving confidential funds since 2005.
Martires said since the allocation of confidential funds are controversial now, “I would like to be the first from the investigating agencies to request Congress that if it will, as I have been saying, only taint the reputation, the integrity of the office, as well as of the Ombudsman and its officers, they’ll not have confidential funds during my term of office…I think we can survive without the confidential funds.”
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III lauded Martires for saying that the Ombudsman can do its jobs even without the confidential funds.
Pimentel said that while the Ombudsman has not been tainted by the use of its confidential funds, giving up the secret funds should be “symbolic” for the Ombudsman so that other agencies will follow.
“Then I will now challenge the other agencies who are not involved in enforcement of penal laws, who are not involved in securing national security, forget about confidential and intelligence funds and focus on your main mandate,” Pimentel said.
Pimentel said the CIFs have become controversial since a lot of agencies have been asking for them.
Martires assured senators that not having confidential funds will not affect the work of the Ombudsman since his deputies and investigators are all well-trained for the job. — With Raymond Africa
