Vice President Sara Duterte has urged the House of Representatives to include the Office of the President (OP) in its investigation of confidential and intelligence funds (CIF), following reports that the OP was the top spender on such funds in 2023.
Call for Fair Inquiry
Speaking at a press conference, Duterte criticized lawmakers for allegedly singling out the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in their inquiries.
“If you want to legislate about confidential funds, you do not target one office and torment its employees,” Duterte said.
“Why not call the Office of the President, which has billions in confidential funds, if you are serious about addressing this issue? Singling out the OVP is very disrespectful,” she added.
CIF Spending by the Office of the President
According to the Commission on Audit (COA), the OP spent ₱4.56 billion on CIF in 2023, broken down into ₱2.25 billion for confidential expenses and ₱2.31 billion for intelligence expenses. Lawmakers justified this spending, citing the President’s role as commander-in-chief and national security concerns.
Measures to Address CIF Transparency
The House recently filed measures to enhance transparency and accountability in CIF use, including:
- Requiring the disclosure of audit findings on CIF flagged by state auditors.
- Limiting the allocation and disbursement of CIF.
These developments come amid ongoing scrutiny of the OVP’s disbursement of ₱612 million in confidential funds, particularly during Duterte’s term as Education Secretary.
Duterte Defends CIF Use
Duterte reiterated that the use of confidential funds in her offices pertains to national security, which she claims prevents her from fully answering questions. She pointed out that two quarters of the DepEd’s CIF had already been cleared by COA but are still under inquiry in Congress.
“It is not about being evasive. These matters concern national security and the lives of people involved in intelligence operations,” she explained.
Impeachment Complaints
Duterte is currently facing two impeachment complaints in the House:
- Filed by advocacy groups and endorsed by Rep. Perci Cendaña (Akbayan Party-list), citing alleged corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes.
- Filed by over 70 representatives from various sectors, alleging betrayal of public trust due to CIF misuse, supported by the Makabayan bloc.
Duterte called on lawmakers, including House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin of President Marcos, to respect the OVP regardless of political differences.
“Respect begets respect. If they want respect, they should respect the Office of the Vice President,” she said.