Palace backs possible COA changes to confidential fund rules

Malacañang on Thursday said it sees a need to tighten existing rules on the use of confidential and intelligence funds to prevent officials from exploiting loopholes in the guidelines.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro made the statement after the Commission on Audit (COA) said it plans to revisit existing rules governing confidential and intelligence funds, including provisions on acknowledgment receipts and the use of aliases.

Castro said Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2015-01 already provides guidelines on the handling and auditing of confidential funds.

She said officials who honestly account for the use of public funds should have no difficulty complying with the rules.

“Kung kayo naman po ay susunod sa polisiya at sa rules at wala naman kayong balak na magloko para sa pondo… hindi naman problema yung rules,” Castro said.

The problem, she added, arises when individuals deliberately find ways to circumvent existing regulations.

“Kaya kinakailangan pang amyendahan para hindi na makalusot ang mga panloloko,” she said.

Castro also maintained that existing rules already contain safeguards to protect the identities of confidential informants.

Under JMC 2015-01, she said, supporting documents may be placed in sealed envelopes and kept in an agency vault. These documents may be presented if questions arise during an audit.

Castro said COA also has a mandate to protect the identities of individuals whose information may be subject to an audit.

“So wala po tayo sa ngayon nakikita talaga na problema. Ang nakikita po nating problema ay yung mga tao pinapaikotan nga po ang rules,” she said.

She added that the Palace would await the specific amendments that COA intends to propose before commenting on their possible impact on government intelligence and confidential operations.

Confidential funds are currently in the news due to the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is accused of the misuse of the confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education. — BM, GMA News