SA isang pagdinig ng Kongreso ay sinagot ni Ombudsman Samuel Martires si Partylist Rep. France Castro na “Kung i-require ninyo ang isang ahensya ng gobyerno na may confidential funds na mag-submit ng resibo hindi na confidential yun”.
Ano nga ba ang confidential funds at anong ahensya meron nito? “Confidential funds are specialized government budget allocations designed for surveillance and other sensitive activities that support civilian government operations.
Halimbawa “funds allocated to the following three types of law enforcement undercover operations 1) Confidential investigative expenses for the purchase of services and would include travel or transportation of an undercover officer or an informant. Kaya nga kung mag-iisyu ng resibo ang undercover agent at ipipirma pangalan niya natural hindi na matatawag na confidential ‘yung gastos.
Pero pera ng taumbayan ‘yan at maaaring maabuso ng isang opisyal ang paggamit ng Confidential funds? Heto ang sagot. “Because of the necessary secrecy in the use of funds, these amounts appear as lump sums in the annual GAA are not subject TO THE STRINGENT REGULAR AUDITING REQUIREMENTS OF THE COMMISSION ON AUDIT.
So, bawal pag-usapan sa kongreso ang paggamit ng confidential funds? PWEDE. Bakit hindi, dahil ang Kongreso naman ang naglalaan ng pondo tulad ng “confidential funds” PERO the utilization of such funds is GENERALLY CONFIDENTIAL AND CLASSIFIED IN NATURE, WHICH REQUIRES NOT ONLY STRONG INTERNAL CONTROLS IN THE RELEASE AND UTILIZATION THEREOF.
Ibig sabihin maaaring pag usapan ang confidential funds na inilaan ng kongreso sa bawat ahensya na nangangailangan nito at ang mga ahensyang ito “should submit quarterly reports on how they spent the confidential and intelligence funds.
At saan i-submit? Sa kongreso ba? Hindi. Because of the sensitive nature of confidential and intelligence funds, the guidelines provide that the reports must be marked “CONFIDENTIAL” and submitted to the COA by the designated security officers of the agencies. The reports are then audited by the Intelligence and Confidential Fund Audit Unit of the COA, assessed separately from agencies annual expenditures.
Eh bakit non-stop mag-imbestiga ang Kongreso sa Confidential Funds ng Office of the Vice President kung COA pala dapat yan? May lusot ang mga kongressman. “In the absence of a law, regulating the disbursement of confidential funds, they are seeking to impose more transparency and accountability in the reporting process.”
Ayun naman pala. Gustong bumalangkas ng batas ang mga Kongressman “para mas transparent at accountable ang reporting process ng confidential funds”.
Pero ang tanong, sa OVP lang ba ang may confidential funds? Bakit hindi iniimbestigahan ng katulad ng pag-imbestiga sa OVP ang ibang ahensya? Alin ba ang mga may confidential funds maliban sa OVP? Ayon sa Department of Budget and Management, may P12,378 billion in 2024 sa GAA. At ang mga may confidential at intelligence funds ay Office of the President, Department of National Defense (divided between the Secretary’s Office at Armed Forces of the Philippines), DILG, DOJ, Bureau of Investigation, NBI, Office of the Solicitor General, DSWD, DOTr, Anti Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Games and Amusement Board, National Intelligence Coordinating Council (NICA), National Security Council, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, PDEA, COA, Ombudsman at Commission on Human Rights.
Ang dami palang may Confidential Funds. Bakit hindi masusing na imbestigahan ng kongreso ang paggamit ng confidential funds nila?
Simple lang ang sagot. Hindi naman konektado si Vice President Sara Duterte sa mga ahensyang yan. (ang ilang nakasaad ay hango sa Vera Files. Salamat!
