Lawmakers propose detailed audit of intelligence funds

MANILA, Philippines - Eight militant House members proposed yesterday a detailed audit of billions in intelligence and confidential funds of the Office of the President, the military, the police, and other government agencies.

In Bill 4127, the eight lawmakers led by Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna said these funds are presently not subject to detailed scrutiny even by the Commission on Audit (COA).

“These intelligence and confidential funds are not subject to the regular auditing requirements of the COA. This has rendered these allocations open to the misuse and abuse of those who are charged with the utilization of these funds granted to numerous government agencies,” they said.

“It is high time that the government rectify these unconstitutional modes of allocating intelligence and confidential funds that are free from audit, public scrutiny and official accountability,” the lawmakers from Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, ACT Teachers, and Kabataan said.

They added that for this year, there is some P1.2 billion in the national budget for intelligence and confidential expenses. Of that amount, P400 million is allocated to the President’s office and the balance is shared by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Department of Justice, and several other agencies.

Government corporations also have hundreds of millions in intelligence and confidential funds.

Bill 4127 seeks the creation of a joint congressional oversight committee on intelligence and confidential funds composed of five members each from the Senate and the House.

The chairmen of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee and the House committee on good government and public accountability would jointly chair the committee, whose members would include the heads of the Senate finance committee and the House appropriations committee.

The oversight panel would conduct a semi-annual review of the status and implementation of all programs and activities financed by intelligence and confidential funds, and submit a report to Congress not later than June 30 of each year.

The COA would conduct a separate comprehensive audit of all such funds and submit a report to Congress on or before June 30 of each year.

No government agency or office and private entity would be allowed to interfere in these separate audits.

Agencies allocated intelligence and confidential funds would be required to submit a detailed quarterly report on the disbursement and use of such funds to the Senate president, Speaker of the House and the COA, with copies for the Senate finance committee and the House appropriations committee.

No intelligence and confidential funds would be released to agencies that fail to submit the required reports.

Those who fail to comply with the reporting requirement would be removed from office and subjected to administrative and criminal proceedings.