Intelligence funds of 10 gov’t agencies scrapped—Palace

MANILA, Philippines – Malacanang has scrapped the intelligence funds of at least 10 agencies of government following alleged abuses in the use of these funds.

“As a result of various exposes in the Senate about abuses in the intelligence funds, the proposed 2012 budget will now limit the provision for intelligence fund to military and law enforcement agencies,” Senator Franklin Drilon, chairman of the Senate finance committee, told a press conference after the briefing of the Development Budget Coordinating Council on Tuesday.

Malacañang is proposing a total of P1.329 billion for intelligence funds for 2012, slightly higher from the current P1.141 billion.

But despite the increase, Drilon said a number of agencies would no longer have an appropriation for intelligence fund – Office of the Solicitor General, Presidential Commission on Good Government, the Public Attorney’s Office, National Security Council, National Telecommunications Commission, Commission on Elections, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process, and Judiciary.

Drilon said the move was consistent with the government’s policy that intelligence funds should be limited to intelligence gathering, security, police and for law enforcement purposes.

But for offices that continue to have intelligence funds, Drilon noted an increase: Office of the President, from P400 million this year to P600 million in 2012; Department of Justice witness protection program, from P166.4 million to P172.9 million; and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, from P124.4 million to P136.3 million.