PNP general hit for fund misuse

Sen. Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The proposed P40-billion funding for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) will go through a fine-tooth comb once it goes to the Senate for review amid reports that some of its funds are being used to prepare for the 2022 national elections.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Thursday said the task force would be asked to explain information that a police general had ordered the taking down of names of barangay residents, including their addresses and contact numbers, using the Philippine National Police’s share of P800 million of the NTF-Elcac funds.

“We have received reports, at least in the PNP: There is a general making rounds … Their P800-plus million, part of that is allegedly being used to give instructions to their chiefs of police for [the] conduct of [a] census among [at least 30 percent of the] residents in a barangay,” he said.

“For what reason? It’s a bit suspicious; it seems like this is for the elections,” he added.

According to Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on national defense and security, the report that the task force’s funds were being used for a “census” raised the need for a review.

“We have to look into that because that’s outside the authorized utilization of the NTF-Elcac funds, when these funds are supposedly for development,” he said.

“If there was clear misuse, I will join Sen. [Franklin] Drilon’s call to scrap the reported P40-billion proposed appropriations under the 2022 [National Expenditure Program] and even request the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct a motu proprio investigation,” he added.

“I will lead the efforts to scrutinize how they utilized their 2021 appropriations, which should be limited to the itemized list of development projects approved by Congress under the 2021 (General Appropriations Act). I do not recall an item for the purpose which PNP had reportedly utilized the same,” he said.

At the same time, Lacson backed calls to review the usage of the P16.4 billion allotted for the “barangay development program,” which was supposed to benefit more than 800 barangays that had been declared “freed” from the influence of communist insurgency.

Opposition Sen. Leila de Lima also backed Drilon’s call for the Commission on Audit to conduct a special audit of NTF-Elcac’s funds.

She said the proposal to double the 2022 budget of the task force was “plain and simple budget predation by the Duterte regime to be used as a campaign war chest in the coming 2022 national elections.”

“They have not used the P19.2 billion in 2021, now they still want it doubled? For what, to buy votes?” De Lima said.