Duterte wants to double Palace confidential, intel funds for 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte is seeking a substantial increase in the confidential and intelligence funds of Malacañang for next year.

According to the proposed P4.1-trillion National Expenditure Plan for 2020 that was submitted by the government to Congress this week, the Office of the President wants P2.25 billion each for confidential and intelligence funds, up P1 billion from the P1.25 billion each for those expenses in 2018 and 2019.

Overall, the OP is asking for an P8.25-billion budget for 2020 compared with P6.82 billion for this year.

Explaining Malacañang’s proposal for bigger confidential and intelligence funds, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Thursday the government “has to have resources to determine the threats against the state.”

“Kailangan iyon, and you need money for that,” he told reporters. “Mahirap mag-secure sa isang bansa, kailangan mo talaga ng pera. You need people, you machines, technology. Maraming paggagastusan eh,” he said.

“I’ll be using my common sense by saying that you really need money if you want to secure your country. And the Office of the President is one of the better offices that can secure the security of the land,” he added.

Panelo also expressed confidence that the funds will not go to corruption.

“Malabo iyon ‘pag Office of the President because number one si Presidente nga na ayaw ng corruption eh. Napaka-istrikto ni Presidente,” he said.

“The President is not exempted from accountability, kung if you’re talking about accountabilities. Lahat na mayroong hawak ng pera are required by law to account, so I don’t think there is a problem with that.”

The government's spending of confidential and intelligence funds reached P8.98 billion in 2017 with the OP and Department of National Defense (DND) accounting for almost half of the expenses, according to the Commission on Audit.

The OP and DND were the top two biggest spenders of confidential and intelligence funds in 2017 at P2.515 billion and P2.222 billion, respectively. Congress placed third at P1.797 billion. — MDM, GMA News