Duterte asks Congress for P2.5-B intel funds

MANILA, Philippines - Saying he has many battles ahead, President Duterte is asking Congress to grant him about P2.5 billion in intelligence funds, or five times the previous administration’s P500 million.

“I have so many fights. And he (Rep. Edcel Lagman) can be very sure that money will go to either the soldiers or the police to buy information. I’m fighting a crisis,” the President said.

“But in the end, there should be no worry. It will come to a vote and I’m sure Congress would know. It is okay with me if you don’t want to give it but you take care of the problem.”

Albay Rep. Lagman earlier said the huge budget proposal is alarming as he pointed out that intelligence funds and the contingency fund of about P5.5 billion are not subject to reporting or liquidation as normally required by the Commission on Audit.

“I am not asking for anything that I could put in my pocket. I tend to give more because I said I’m fighting so many wars. So, if you (Congress) don’t want to give it, it is all right with me. I don’t have a problem with that. Then, I will just say we are failing in this, failing on that because we fail to act on time,” Duterte said.

He reasoned that he wants the huge budget because he needed all the information in fighting the Abu Sayyaf, which is known for kidnapping foreign nationals and killing them if ransom is not paid; the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and communist rebels.

The Chief Executive added that he is known to be not corrupt, even when he was mayor of Davao City.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, at a hearing in Congress, conceded that the amount is huge but pointed to the successes in the campaign against the illegal drug trade in the country.

“But at least, there is success in the President’s anti-drug campaign. The previous administration had P500 million, but can they show anything for it?” Diokno was earlier quoted as saying.

Confidential expenditures, like those of the Office of the President, do not require detailed accounting.

All an agency head has to do is issue a general certification on the use of intelligence funds. A corrupt handler of such funds can actually pocket them or use them for personal purposes.