Former President Rodrigo Duterte has broken his silence on the controversial confidential funds allocated to the Department of Education (DepEd) during his administration. Duterte clarified that the funds were mainly used for “surveillance and intelligence operations” meant to ensure the safety of teachers and students across conflict-prone areas in the country.
Speaking in a recent interview, Duterte defended the spending, saying the funds were used for legitimate purposes, particularly to monitor threats against schools and educators. He emphasized that confidential and intelligence funds are standard tools of governance, not sources of corruption, if used properly.
The former president also dismissed allegations that the funds were misused under former Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, his daughter. He urged critics to understand the purpose of such funds instead of making baseless accusations.
The use of confidential funds by civilian agencies has sparked intense debate in Congress, prompting calls for greater transparency and accountability in how these resources are utilized.