THE impeachment trial has exposed weaknesses in the rules governing confidential funds that should lead Congress to impose much stricter restrictions on civilian agencies seeking such allocations following the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte in the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds.
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House trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur said the proceedings were revealing policy gaps that lawmakers could address through legislation even beyond the case against Duterte.
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“So I think, isa yun ito, while this trial is ongoing, marami din ako nakita personally na medyo mga loopholes na po pwedeng gawing batas,” Alonto Adiong said.
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The confidential-fund proceedings involve allocations used by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd), both civilian offices that Duterte headed during the periods covered by the questioned transactions.
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Alonto Adiong argued that a civilian agency should face a higher threshold before receiving confidential funds compared with institutions whose principal mandates involve intelligence, national security and law enforcement.
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“Kasi if it’s, for example, if it’s used by a civilian agency requesting for a confidential fund, it has to be stricter than ‘yung mga part of the security sector whose mandate really do require them to have intelligence funds,” Alonto Adiong explained.
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He went further and called for the removal of confidential funds from civilian agencies altogether.
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“Ako personally dapat wala na talaga. Let’s keep confidential funds away from civilian agencies for God’s sake,” Alonto Adiong stressed.
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Alonto Adiong said the problem exists even if misuse is set aside because poorly implemented confidential-fund programs still result in public money being wasted.
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“Hindi talaga na-implement ng maayos. Sabihin pa natin na walang misuse. Pero kung hindi din nila ma-implement ng maayos, sayang lang din ang pondo,” he said.
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“Bigay na lang doon sa mga other departments or other agencies na papwede nilang paggamitan,” Alonto Adiong added.
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“This is also an eye-opener to all of us, especially for legislators,” he said.
