Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9)— The Senate eyes reopening hearings on confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) before the proposed ₱5.768-trillion budget for 2024 is approved, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Tuesday.
The national government has earmarked ₱9.2 billion in confidential and intelligence funds (CIF).
According to Zubiri, an oversight committee was created to look into the use of the CIF of government agencies.
“Nagsagawa kami ng oversight committee on intelligence fund. Kausap ko si Sen. [Sonny] Angara, chair ng Committee on Finance. Bubuksan natin ang mga hearing sa oversight committee kung tama ba ang paggastos ng 2023 intelligence and tinatawag na confidential funds,” he said.
[Translation: We are creating an oversight committee on intelligence fund. I was talking to Sen. Angara, chair of the Committee on Finance. We will open hearings of the oversight committee to know if the 2023 intelligence and confidential funds were used properly.]
“Ang gagawin namin sa Senado (What we will do in the Senate), we will activate a Special Committee on Review of Intelligence Funds. We will have hearings before actual discussion of the national budget,” he added.
Zubiri said if there is misuse of the funds, the issue will be raised before the government agencies.
“Therefore, we can make decisions kung dadagdag ba tayo dyan or babawasan natin sila or status quo ang mga pondo,” he added.
[Translation: Therefore, we can make decisions if we will add or reduce their budget or maintain the status of the funds.]
