INCREASED SPENDING | Congress, Duterte among top spenders of intelligence funds, COA says

January 13, 2021 , 10:01 AM

(January 13, 2021) – The government’s confidential, intelligence, and extraordinary funds (CIF) spending went up to P13.46 billion in 2019, an increase by P2.03 billion from 2018, according to a Commission on Audit (COA) report.

In the 2019 Annual Financial Report released on Monday, it reported that most of the expenses or P6.12 billion went to intelligence projects. Extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses, meanwhile, were at P4.775 billion and confidential expenses at P2.570 billion.

According to COA, Congress was the biggest CIF spender in 2019 with P3.98 billion, followed by the Department of National Defense with P3.08 billion. The Office of the President is third with P2.41 billion.

The three accounted for 70.4% of the total CIF funds disbursed.

The lowest spender was the Office of Vice President (OVP) with only P547,000.

To recall, Duterte vetoed a provision in the 2021 national budget which requires him to report to Congress how intelligence funds would be spent.

“I am duty-bound to protect national security and maintain public safety as well as ensure peace and order at all times. Hence, all activities involving intelligence gathering that have a direct impact on national security and public safety shall be reported directly to me,” said Duterte last December.

Opposition lawmakers have questioned the CIF budget of the government, saying it is too big. Some have urged Duterte to reallocate the funds for the country’s COVID-19 pandemic response instead.

Based on records, the government spending on CIF under President Rodrigo Duterte increased for the fourth straight year.

From P3.6 billion in 2015 to P4.4 billion in 2016, it got doubled in 2017 with P9.4 billion and increased again to P11.4 billion in 2018.

Other government agencies that spent CIF in 2019 are the Department of the Interior and Local Government (P1.794 billion), other executive offices (P752.7 million), Department of Information and Communications Technology (P307 million), Department of Justice (P279 million), the judiciary (P268 million), Department of Finance (P90 million), and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (P82.674 million).

(Kiko Demigillo/PM)

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