De Lima urges colleagues to probe DICT’s P300-M intel fund

A Senate inquiry on the P300-million intelligence fund of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) should be launched, according to Senator Leila De Lima on Thursday.

“There is [a] need to determine the propriety of appropriating confidential and intelligence funds, which are given to agencies involved in protecting national security and upholding peace and order, to the DICT,” De Lima said while adding that the probe shall be handled by the appropriate committee.

Performing intelligence operations is "clearly absent" in DICT's mandate under the law, according to De Lima.

Last month, DICT Undersecretary Eliseo Rio submitted a resignation letter to President Rodrigo Duterte after DICT chief Gregorio Honasan allegedly kept him out of the loop over how the agency spent P300 million in confidential funds.

Rio later clarified he was not alleging any anomaly involving the fund but was merely pointing out that his authority as undersecretary for operations was bypassed because he was not made aware of how the budget was used.

The DICT, on the other hand, said the P300-million fund in question was used to address cybersecurity issues threatening national security.

“If unchecked, confidential and intelligence funds, can be subjected to massive corruption due to its limited transparency. Thus, it must be strictly monitored and implemented in accordance with law,” De Lima said. 

Last month, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the chamber will pass a resolution to create an oversight committee in charge of scrutinizing intelligence fund allocation of government agencies. — Dona Magsino/RSJ, GMA News