THE Office of Vice President (OVP) Sara Duterte-Carpio has expressed disinterest in pursuing its request to be allocated with P500 million confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) for Fiscal Year 2024.
This was bared by Senate committee on finance Senator Sonny Angara during the deliberation on the 2024 proposed budget of the OVP.
“We are in receipt of a statement from the VP, we discussed earlier and according to her, the OVP can only propose a budget to support the safe implementation of its programs to alleviate poverty and promote the general welfare of each and every Filipino families,” he said.
“Nonetheless, they will no longer pursue the confidential and intelligence funds or the confidential funds. And the reason why is because it seems to be divisive, and as the VP, she swore and took an oath to keep the country peaceful and strong,” he added.
Senate Minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III commended Duterte for making such a stand.
“I commend her for now categorically stating to this House that it’s not a deferral to our wisdom. She does not want it anymore,” Pimentel said.
The OVP has been in hot water over its P125 million confidential funds in 2022, despite it not being in the line budgeting of the agency during the fiscal year, which was spent in a span of just 11 days.
The said funds were part of the P221.4 million released by the Office of the President (OP), under its contingent fund, to the OVP on December 13, 2022.
The OVP and the Department of Education, both under Duterte, which have combined CIF of P650 million under the proposed 2023 national budget, were among the government agencies in which the House of Representatives (HOR) stripped of CIF as they opted to allocate the funds to agencies in charge of addressing issues related to the West Philippine Sea.
Duterte earlier said that those opposing confidential funds are also going against peace.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte defended his daughter’s request for CIF, hitting the HOR, which he tagged as the “most rotten institution.”
The HOR hits back at Duterte by approving a resolution upholding the integrity and honor of the House of Representatives and expressing appreciation, solidarity, and support for the leadership of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who for his part vowed to go against their critics who seek to tarnish and malign the institution and its members.
Duterte allies, lawmakers former President now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Davao City Representative Isidro Ungab, were removed House deputy speakers after they did not sign the said House resolution.
Meanwhile, presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos said she will continue to stand up for the Dutertes, noting that the former President was the reason for his father’s transfer to the Libingan ng Mga Bayani, which for her was a sign of true friendship.
“Inuulit ko, noong 2015, ako ang una at kaisa-isang gobernador na nagdeklara ng suporta para kay Pangulong Duterte. At kahit ako ang nag-iisang matira, maninindigan ako para sa kanya,” Imee said in a statement.
(I repeat, in 2015, I was the first and only governor to declare support for President Duterte. And even if I am the only one left, I will stand up for him.)
“Ang isang anak na humarap sa napakaraming pananaksak sa likod ay hindi kailanman tatahamik sa mga pagtataksil at pambabastos sa taong gumalang sa aking ama, noong pahintulutan nyang mahimlay ito sa libingang para sa kanya,” she added.
(A child who has faced so many backstabs will never be silent on the betrayals and insults thrown against the man who respected my father, when he allowed him to lie in the cemetery he deserves.)
Marcos earlier said that discussion about the CIF allocation is not final yet as she noted that the Congress will still have the final say. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)