Palace defends P16.44-B budget for anti-insurgency task force

Malacañang on Monday defended the proposed P16.44-billion budget for the government’s anti-insurgency task force following claims that it could be a lump sum appropriation.

Bayan Muna Representative Ferdinand Gaite earlier asked National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. to explain in detail the proposed budget for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Gaite said Congress needs to see “each and every item” of the proposal, otherwise “that's lump sum general's pork [barrel].”

In response, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the proposed budget is a “valid expenditure.”

“In any case, hindi po para sa Makabayan bloc alone na kuwestiyunin iyan. Sana po makuha nila ang suporta ng mas maraming kasama nila sa Kongreso para po mawala iyang ganiyang entry,” Roque said in a news conference.

“Pero as of now, that is the budget proposal coming from the Executive and we bow to the wisdom of Congress but not just to the Makabayan bloc.”

Esperon said the money will be spent on development projects in areas previously under communist influence.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also denied claims that these funds will be used for the 2022 elections, adding that a list of specific projects is still being finalized.

Senate finance committee chairperson Sonny Angara said last Friday that senators will carefully study the barangay development projects that would be funded by the program. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News