Solons on putting intel funds to WPS efforts: Not all items should be secret

UNWANTED COMPANY A boat (center) carrying supplies and sent by Philippine military to Ayungin Shoal is shadowed by a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese militia vessel. Partially seen (lower right corner) is a Philippine Coast Guard craft keeping watch of the pursuers. (File photo/SCREEN GRAB FROM PCG-WPS)

MANILA, Philippines — Some lawmakers in House of Representatives are in favor of proposals to reallocate confidential funds (CF) to agencies involved in securing West Philippine Sea (WPS) from China’s incursions.

They, however, say not all of these realignments should be confidential.

“Reallocating funds to address external threats, particularly the aggressive incursions of China in our EEZ, is necessary, but not all these funds need to be confidential in nature,” the lawmakers belonging to the so-called Makabayan bloc said in a joint statement.

The lawmakers are talking about the proposed national budget for 2024.

Members of the group are ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro, Gabriela Party-list Representative Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Representative Raoul Manuel.

The lawmakers did not specify which part of the confidential funds may be disclosed to the public.

While they agree to the transfer of funds, they prefer that these appropriations be removed.

As for intelligence funds, they want the items cut.

“Our stand is for Congress to abolish Confidential Funds and drastically reduce Intelligence Funds,” they said.

They believe the bloating of these appropriations happens because the expenditures are not well monitored.

“This has left billions of pesos in taxpayers’ money vulnerable to misuse and outright corruption, given the confidential nature of their use and the limited capacity of COA to audit them,” they said.

However, with the tension going on in WPS, the group said they will await the decision of the House leadership on CF.

“They would do well to be fully transparent with the public on the reallocations that they intend to make in the 2024 General Appropriations Bill,” the lawmakers said.

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