FILE PHOTO: Former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, who gained a moniker as “The Big Man of the Senate,” bids farewell to colleagues in his valedictory speech Wednesday, June 1, 2022, as Congress adjourns sine die on June 3, 2022. (SENATE PRIB PHOTOS/Screengrab)
MANILA, Philippines — Former Senate President Franklin Drilon has urged Congress to take a closer look at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s P9.3 billion confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs).
“I urge Congress to look at this very carefully. The basic rule is transparency. Hence, each agency should justify why it has to unfollow this rule through the use of the CIFs,” Drilon said in an interview with TeleRadyo on Thursday, November 10.
Drilon’s plea came at an ideal time, as senators deliberated on and approved the P4.5-billion CIFs in the Office of the President’s budget. The remaining CIFs will go to other government agencies, such as the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
According to Drilon, the Commission on Audit would not be able to review and scrutinize the CIFs regularly because the liquidation of the funds would go through a closed envelope system. That would mean the public cannot see where the funds are going.
READ: Big intel funds for OVP, DepEd, OSG risky – Koko Pimentel
Drilon added that he was worried that this might become standard practice in the years to come.
“Tinitingnan ko itong kasaysayan ng intelligence fund, kapag nagkaroon ka ng intelligence fund sa taong ito, ang sasabihin mo sa susunod na taon na kailangan mo ulit iyan,” Drilon stated.
(I am looking at the history of the intelligence fund, if you get an intelligence fund for the current year, you will say in the following year that you will need it again.)
READ: DepEd’s intel fund bigger than that of intel agency
According to Drilon, agencies like the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency already provide needed intelligence gathering, so only offices like them should get CIFs.
“Huwag naman nating pabayaan. Kung hindi mo papansinin ito, lalong lalaki iyan. Ganyan ang ating experience in my 24 years in the Senate. Tungkulin ng Kongreso na i-examine ang budget at ilagay ito sa tama,” Drilon said of the CIFs.
(Let’s not just allow this to be. If we do not mind this now, it will only get bigger. That is our experience in my 24 years in the Senate. Congress must examine the budget and put it in the right place).
RELATED STORIES
Angara defends Marcos office’s intel funds: President needs reliable info to maintain order
Bongbong Marcos’ office proposes P4.5-B confidential, intel funds for 2023