Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15)—The ₱2.5 billion contingent fund from the Office of the President (OP) transferred to the Commissions on Elections (Comelec) for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) was a “wrong” move, Senator Koko Pimentel said on Friday
“Since Comelec should not and cannot be beholden to anyone or any agency then it was wrong to have funded Comelec’s needs from a fund which is controlled by one person, a political person who was elected through an election conducted by the Comelec,” Pimentel said in text message.
He added the amount should have been properly given to the Comelec through a budget process.
“Better if funded through the budget by Congress because congress is a collegial deliberative body composed of the direct representatives of the people,” the senator said.
\”So, the funding of certain activities through the budget is the decision of the people acting thru their representatives,\” he added.
On the other hand, Comelec Chairman George Garcia clarified that the poll body was not aware that the fund came from OP.
According to Comelec Director Rex Laudiangco, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) gave the ₱2.5 billion “personally.”
Garcia said the additional funding was requested from Congress and not from the Office of the President, dismissing allegations that they requested the ₱2.5 billion from OP’s contingent fund.
The receipt of the additional funds was disclosed during the 2024 proposed budget hearing on Thursday.
The Comelec requested a ₱44 billion budget for next year, but the Budget department slashed ₱17.4 billion.
Garcia again appealed for the restoration of at least ₱5.7 billion “so the preparation for the national elections will not be sacrificed.”
“Di ba po dapat nga December 5, 2022 nag registration po kami,” Garcia said. “Nag-increase ang number of voters kasama SK, ngayon po 91 million kasama SK. Nag-increase din number of precincts, number of electoral board members, pati ballot boxes, saka yung overtime.”
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