Umalma si Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Ferdinand Gaite sa pagtaas ng confidential at intelligence funds ng Office of the President (OP) para sa susunod na taon.
Sa plenary debates sa Kamara, pinuna ni Gaite ang 400 percent increase ng naturang pondo na maituturing aniya na “unprecedented.”
Sa P8.28 billion budget ng OP, mahigit kalahati nito o P4.5 billion ay inilalaan para sa confidential at intelligence funds.
Iginiit ni Gaite na mayroon nang specialized agencies para sa intelligence gathering tulad ng Armed Forces of the Philippines at Philippine National Police kaya hindi na dapat pang mag-focus dito ang OP.
Pero ayon kay House Appropriations Committee Chairman Isidro Ungab, kailangan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ng pondo para sa confidential at intelligence gathering bilang tumatayo ito bilang commander in chief.
“I only think it is only proper and fitting we provide this request, we provide the amount as requested by the Office of the President in order for the Office of the President to be able to deliver effectively and efficiently the needs of the country,” dagdag pa nito.
Tiniyak naman din ni Ungab na sumusunod sa guidelines at procedures ng Commission on Audit ang paggamit ng confidential at intelligence funds ng OP.
