Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday welcomed the Commission on Audit’s (COA) plan to scrutinize the budget allocated by the government in its anti-insurgency program under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
Citing the lack of transparency on the use of the proposed P16.4-billion fund for the NTF-ELCAC, Drilon said COA’s “timely intervention is most welcome.”
"I support a special audit of the funds allotted to the NTF-ELCAC. Given the various kinds of corruption that we've unearthed in the Senate, a COA special audit of all the funds that went to the government's anti-insurgency program administered by the NTF-ELCAC is a welcome development," Drilon said in a statement.
“COA should keep an eagle eye on these funds especially with the birth of a new program called Barangay Development Program,” he pointed out.
The Senate minority chief earlier surmised that the huge funds would be used for 2022 national and local elections, as next year is already an election year.
Under the proposed P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget, over P19-billion is allotted to the NTF-ELCAC and of which, P16.4-billion will go to its Barangay Development Program.
Through the program, the government plans to distribute P20-million to various barangays that have been cleared of communist rebels.
During a virtual briefing on the proposed P4.5-6-trillion national budget for 2021, state economic managers defended the allocation saying the funds would be used to build farm-to-market road, school building, water and sanitation system, health stations, electrification, as well as for agricultural, livelihood and technical vocational trainings/projects; and assistance to indigent individual or families.
However, Drilon said he believes the task force is given too much discretion when the programs cited could be funded through implementing agencies, which is common practice.
He also questioned the manner of disbursements, noting that under the budget measure, the fund would be given directly to local government units (LGUs).
"Why is the fund given directly to local government units this time? Are they capable of implementing a P10-million road program?" he said, during the budget hearing.
Drilon also said he is skeptical over the ability of the barangays to implement the projects, adding that the setup by which the projects will be implemented is too complicated as it creates unnecessary bureaucratic layers.
"The money going from one hand to another, we can expect what happens next. This is exactly the kind of setup that allows corruption to thrive,” the veteran lawmaker said.
“We must avoid this in the budget if we really want to enhance transparency and accountability on the use of funds. Let the agencies handle the projects and let them be accountable for the funds," he stressed.