MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday, August 14, defended its proposed confidential funds, saying that there was nothing wrong with it as long as it would be used correctly.
The Office of the President (OP) has P4.5 billion in proposed confidential funds out of the total P10.77 billion in the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Economist Cielo Magno has criticized the placement of the confidential funds in the OP, saying that it should be solely in the security and intelligence agencies.
“Ang tandaan po natin, ang confidential funds o ang pera ay hindi naman masama kung ginagamit sa tama. Ang confidential funds or pondo ay nagiging masama kung ginagamit ng isang corrupt, iyon lang naman po,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing on August 14.
(We should remember, the confidential funds or money are not wrong if used right. Confidential funds become bad if used for corruption, that is it.)
Magno drew comparisons between Marcos’ confidential funds and Vice President Sara Duterte’s confidential funds.
Duterte’s alleged corruption involving confidential funds was subject to an impeachment case against her, which had ultimately ended up being shelved by the Senate.
“Walang moral ascendancy si Marcos kay Sara Duterte kung patuloy din syang manghihingi ng confidential fund sa kabila ng katotohanang nakukurakot lang ito. Walang moral ascendancy ang Congress kay Sara Duterte kung patuloy pa rin ang pagbibigay nila ng confidential fund sa Pangulo,” Magno said in a social media post.
(Marcos does not have moral ascendancy over Sara Duterte if he continuously asks for confidential funds despite the truth that this will get corrupted. Congress does not have moral ascendancy over Sara Duterte if it continues to give confidential funds to the president.)
But Castro thumbed down this comparison, maintaining that Marcos is the commander-in-chief. She said it was not like the president would improperly report the fund usage and use different receipts.
Castro did not name names, but Duterte’s corruption allegations involved the use of allegedly fake receipts with outlandish names, such as Mary Grace Piattos — a person who does not exist.