Solons: Marcos' high spending of confidential, intel funds his 'obligation' as commander-in-chief

Manila Bulletin

The high spending of confidential and intelligence funds by the Office of the President (OP) in 2023 is part of President Marcos’ obligation as the country’s Commander-in-Chief, lawmakers said on Wednesday, Dec. 11.  Based on the Commission on Audit’s (COA) annual financial report, the OP spent a combined P4.56 billion last year—topping the list of government agencies’ expenditures.   READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/11/marcos-high-spending-of-confidential-intel-funds  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00Well, in the office of the President, it's a different matter because he has a job and

00:07an obligation as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of our country, and it concerns

00:15national security.

00:16What we are passing is a limitation to the agencies that have nothing to do with national

00:24security, peace and order, and intelligence gathering.

00:29Our investigation is confined to the privileged speech of Congressman Valeriano and Congresswoman

00:42Luistro.

00:43In addition to that, and just to be clear, two points make it different.

00:49First and foremost, Chairman Chua mentioned that in relation to ING-GUDGO, we were talking

00:56about confidential funds by civilian agencies that are not necessarily related initially,

01:01and whether or not this piece of legislation was passed, we are going to act on that.

01:06If someone filed a privileged speech or a resolution, if there were any regarding the

01:12President, if ever it was found to be used in matters not related to their functions,

01:17then I think the committee would also take that matter up.

01:21But the difference is, it did not happen.

01:23Here, confidential funds of a civilian agency.

01:27So President, very clear.

01:29In fact, if I understand, sir, the COA, can you give us the value, sir, of the COA?

01:37What was mentioned?

01:39For 2023, right?

01:40For 2023, the office of the President under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is the top

01:46confidential and intelligence fund spender for 2023, with a combined of Php 4.56 billion

01:54based on the report of COA annual financial report.

01:59Confidential and intelligence funds, sir.

02:00We have to take note.

02:01In GUDGO, what we were talking about is confidential funds of a civilian agency.

02:06Intelligence funds, sir, which are related to national security concerns as disbursed

02:09by the necessary security agency.

02:11That's different.

02:12And I think the bulk of my understanding of the news was correct.

02:17In the 4.something, the majority of that was intelligence funds.

02:21So that's the first point, the distinction between confidential and intelligence funds

02:24between civilian and security agency.

02:27Second matter, the difference is, we will take note, there was no notice of disallowance.

02:36There was no notice of disallowance in the OP, and that's why no one has filed any privileged

02:39speech or resolution.

02:41Here in the OP, there was a notice of disallowance.

02:45So that's one difference.

02:46And in fact, one of the provisions in the new piece of legislation is that the notice

02:50of disallowance would open up the COA declassification.

02:54So I think those are the two kinds of distinctions.

02:56But in summary, if ever there was a complaint, I believe the committee will hear it.

03:01But given that one, it's not really intelligence and not confidential, and two, there was no

03:06notice of disallowance, I think we'd understand why there wasn't actually a complaint.

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