Iginiit ni Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III nitong Linggo, Nobyembre 5, na hindi dapat bigyan ng intelligence fund ang Office of the President (OP) sa ilalim ng proposed ₱5.267-trillion national budget para sa 2024.
Sa panayam ng Radio DZBB nitong Linggo, Nobyembre 5, iginiit ni Pimentel na mga ahensya ng gobyerno na “well-versed” sa intelligence gathering ang dapat bigyan ng intelligence funds.
“It must be the department or the agency that is well-versed on intelligence matters (that should have confidential and intelligence funds) and they should (be the ones to) report to the President,” saad ni Pimentel sa ulat ng Manila Bulletin.
“The President (should be) the consumer of the intelligence (information) gathered by these agencies.”
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“He should no longer have any time for that. Whom does the President needs to spy on? Fellow Filipinos? That can’t be used for politics. That’s why I suggest that the Office of the President be stripped of intelligence funds,” saad pa niya.
Bukod sa OP, binanggit din ni Pimentel na dapat din umanong bigyan ng “zero intelligence funds” ang Office of the Vice President (OVP), Department of Education (DepEd) at iba pang mga ahensyang walang kinalaman ang mandato sa “national security” o “law enforcement.”
Sa halip, aniya, ay dapat umanong ilaan ang intelligence funds sa mga ahensyang tulad ng Philippine National Police (PNP) at National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) na may mandatong labanan ang kriminalidad sa bansa.
Samantala, inihayag din ng senador na sang-ayon siyang mabigyan ng “reasonable amount” na confidential funds ang OP.
“We can allow that but it should be within reasonable bounds. The amount of confidential fund should also be reasonable,” ani Pimentel.
Sa ilalim ng proposed 2024 national budget, humihiling ang OP ng ₱2.31 bilyong halaga ng intelligence funds at ₱2.25-bilyon para sa confidential funds.
