Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10) — Both chambers of Congress have denied having allocations of confidential funds, explaining that they only have “extraordinary expenses” under the budget.
In a news conference on Tuesday, ranking leaders of the House of Representatives were asked about circulating social media posts that the chamber has ₱1.6 billion in secret funds.
\”Squarely, walang confidential funds ang Congress [Congress has no confidential funds],\” declared Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, senior vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations.
Quimbo explained that the ₱1.6 billion funding was allocated as the chamber’s \”extraordinary expenses\” for this year.
She said extraordinary expenses are \”fully auditable,\” citing as an example expenses during calamities.
\”In short, that’s fake news,\” said Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, chairman of the appropriations committee, referring to the alleged confidential funds of Congress.
The Senate also addressed the issue as social media posts said it was given ₱331.9 million in funds supposedly for clandestine activities, explaining that the money is for the chamber’s \”extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses\” this year.
\”The social media posts are deliberately misleading and maliciously presented by some personalities who seek to malign and tarnish the reputation of an institution currently taking a long, hard look at the nature of confidential and intelligence funds and the government agencies that deserve to have them,\” the Senate said in a statement.
It said past appropriations were \”never used and were reverted to the National Treasury in full.\”
The line item \”Extraordinary and Miscellaneous Expenses\” is under the account category heading \”Confidential, Intelligence, and Extraordinary Expenses\” in budget documents.
The line item, which is explained under the general provisions of the National Expenditure Program, is meant for expenses not supported by the regular budget allocation including spending for meetings, seminars, conferences, official entertainment, public relations, office equipment and supplies, and educational, athletic, and cultural activities, among others.
Reports of the Commission on Audit for confidential and intelligence funds are not disclosed to Congress and the public.
Documents related to the national budget are easily accessed on the Department of Budget and Management website.
Critics have raised concerns about the increasing amounts of confidential funds for civilian agencies with no mandate of national security or are required to conduct surveillance activities.
Vice President Sara Duterte is in hot water for the controversial spending of the Office of the Vice President of ₱125 million in confidential funds in 2022, even if the office was not expressly provided with the funding in that fiscal year.
Government officials, including Quimbo, have explained the transaction, which critics raised may be unconstitutional.
