Former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon on Friday, November 11, said closer scrutiny of the Marcos administration’s P9.3-billion intelligence and confidential funds (CIFs) is called for.
Drilon, a former Justice secretary, emphasized that the continued use of the CIFs undermines transparency, a basic principle of good governance.
“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 stressed.
The CIFs are embedded in the proposed 2023 P2.5 trillion national budget which is now being deliberated on by the Senate.
“Huwag naman nating pabayaan (Let us not let it pass). Kung hindi mo papansinin ito, lalong lalaki iyan (If we don’t do something about it, it will grow bigger). Ganyan ang ating experience in my 24 years in the Senate (That is my experience in 24 years in Congress). Tungkulin ng Kongreso na i-examine ang budget at ilagay ito sa tama (it is the duty of Congress to examine the budget and out it right),’’ Drilon said.
CIFs, according to Drilon, do not undergo the regular auditing by the Commission on Audit (CA) as the liquidation of the billion-peso funds is through a closed envelope system, which means the funds are beyond the scrutiny of the public.
The former senator, who scrutinized the national budget for 24 years, expressed concern over the ballooning confidential and intelligence funds.
He also expressed dismay at what appears to be a standard practice in government today where practically every agency in the government is involving itself in intelligence gathering.
“Tinitingnan ko itong kasaysayan ng intelligence fund (I am looking at the history of intelligence funds), kapag nagkaroon ka ng intelligence fund sa taong ito (If you have intelligence fund this year), ang sasabihin mo sa susunod na taon na kailangan mo ulit iyan (what this means is that you need intelligence funds in the coming year),’’ Drilon observed.
Drilon said the funds should go directly to the agencies primarily involved in intelligence gathering operations such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).
“Ang mga ahensya lang na may kailangan ng intelligence fund ang dapat bigyan ng intelligence fund (Only agencies the need intelligence funds should be given such funds),’’ he explained,.
Drilon said “CIFs are the antithesis of transparency.”
With an increasing budget deficit and a ballooning debt, Drilon said the Marcos administration should be more practical and prudent in allocating the country’s dwindling resources.
“In terms of policies, ano ba ang uunahin natin? (In terms of policies, which should be given priority?) Magtayo ng silid-aralan at magbigay ng ayuda sa mga napinsala ng bagyo o CIFs (Build schools and give financial assistance to storm victims?),’’ he asked.