Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Speaks on OP Being Top Confidential Funds Spender
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President dared the House members to also check on the confidential funds of the Office of the President.
The previous issues regarding the Confidential Funds spending has undeniably ignited the thirst of countless Filipinos for clarity on how the millions, if not billions, of money is spent by the different offices in the government. However, considering its nature, only those who are in the authorities may have the full access to how it is spent.
Recently, the Commission on Audit or COA revealed that the office of Pres. Bongbong Marcos remains the highest Confidential Funds spender. It is also the highest with regards to the spending of the intelligence funds.
The Office of the President spent P2.25 billion confidential funds and P2.31 billion intel funds last year reaching a total of a total of P4.56 billion. It is followed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) with a P683,853,000 confidential and intel funds spending last year.
After the justice department, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) comes next with a P500 million spending of its confidential and intel funds. Here are the other CIFs spending noted by COA:
- Office of the Vice-President Sara Duterte with P375 million
- National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) with P127,413 million
- National Security Council (NSC) with P90 million
- Department of National Defense (DND) with P78,921 million
- Department of Interior and Local Government with P75 million
- Department of Finance with P61 million
- Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity with P49.5 million
- Department of Foreign Affairs with P35 million
Amid the Office of the President being the highest confidential and intel funds spender and the House members questioning the CIFs spending of the OVP in 2023, based on a report on GMA News, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte dared the House members to also check the CIFs spending of the office of Pres. Bongbong Marcos.
“Why not call the Office of the President who has billions and billions of confidential funds if you want to legislate about the confidential funds? So that shows that they’re singling out the Office of the Vice President,” the Vice President said.
According to the report, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte finds it “disrespectful” towards her office that they are allegedly being singled-out. The Vice President also claimed that “two quarters of the Department of Education are already cleared by the Commission and Audit”. She stressed that she is not answering questions because it is allegedly a matter of national security.
Following the closure of the House investigation on the Confidential Funds of the OVP, a House panel targets the passing of law seeking the disclosure of confidential funds.