QC solon questions big intel fund of PNP

Quezon City Rep. Kit Belmonte. (Photo from his Facebook page)

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City 6th District Rep. Kit Belmonte questioned on Monday the proposed intelligence fund of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in its 2020 budget, which amounts to P1.24 billion.

During the House hearing on the budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Belmonte asked why, despite the big intelligence fund of the PNP, one of its divisions–the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)–cannot distinguish opposition groups Anakbayan and Akbayan.

He was referring to the PNP-CIDG’s case in connection with missing minors who were recruited by leftist groups. In the complaint, former Akbayan Party-list Rep. Tom Villarin was among the respondents and was mistakenly referred as Anakbayan Party-list representative.

READ: CIDG charges youth group, lawmakers with kidnap

“Magandang may budget para sa intelligence group. Magandang may budget sa CIDG… What I don’t understand is kung bakit in that one case, pinaghalo nila ‘yung hindi talaga pwedeng magsama?” Belmonte asked.

“As investigators and as intelligence community, do they understand the difference between Akbayan and Anakbayan or Sarah Elago and Tom Villarin?” he added.

However, CIDG chief Maj. Gen. Amador Corpus explained that the respondents named in the case were based from the complaints filed by parents of the missing minors.

“There are seven parent complainants complaining about their children. Five complainants are already presented before the Department of Justice while two others are pending,” Corpus said during the hearing.

The lawmaker also asked if it is “normal” for the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to assist the PNP in filing cases. He was referring to the sedition case against Vice President Leni Robredo and 35 others filed by the PNP-CIDG.

READ: Sedition case filed vs Robredo, 35 others over ‘Bikoy’ videos

Corpus answered that the CIDG only ask for the assistance of the OSG in “high profile” and “sensational” cases. He revealed that they have requested for the assistance of the OSG in its case on the missing minors.

“We discuss, especially with our legal department, kung kailangan ng assistance ng OSG,” he said.

Belmonte then asked if it would be better that the Congress increase the budget of the legal department of the CIDG so that they would no longer need the assistance of the OSG.

Corpus answered that the CIDG would welcome any increase to its budget. /jpv