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Ni Estong Reyes
ITINAKDA ng Senate ethics committee ang imbestigasyon sa information leak hinggil sa napag-usapan ng ilang mambabata sa confidential funds sa ginanap na executive session nitong Lunes.
Inihayag ito ni Senador Nancy Binay, chairman ng Senate committee on ethics na inatasan ng plenaryo na mag-imbestiga sa nabulgar na siyam na senador ang pumabor na ibalik ang P650 milyong confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) ni Vice President Sara Duterte.
“In order to gather additional information necessary to complete its review, the Committee on Ethics and Privileges will convene its members to conduct a probe on all matters relating to the conduct, rights, privileges, safety, dignity, integrity and reputation of the Senate and its members pursuant to Rule X, Section 13 (16),” ayon kay Binay nitong Huwebes.
Nitong Martes, kinastigo ni Senador Jinggoy Estrada ang isang news report na nagpangalan sa siyam na senador na pabor sa pagbabalik ng confidential funds ng OVP at Department of Education (DepEd), na kapwa pinamumunuan ni Duterte.
Ayon kay Estrada, lantarang paglabag sa Senate rules ang pagpapalabas ng impormasyon na nakapag-usapan sa isang executive session.
Tinukoy ni Binay ang Rule XLVII, Section 126 n Rules of the Senate nagsasabing: “The executive session of the Senate shall be held always in closed doors. In such sessions only the Secretary, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and/or such other persons as may be authorized by the Senate to the session hall.”
“The President as well as the Senators and the officials and employees of the Senate shall absolutely refrain from divulging any of the confidential matter taken up by the Senate, and all proceedings which might have taken place….” banggit pa ni Binay.
Sa mosyon ni Senador Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, inatasan ni Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri ang ethics committee na iimbestigahan ang nag-leak ng impormasyon hinggil sa kinahaharap na desisyon hinggil sa confidential funds sa 2024 national budget.
Hindi pa nagpalabas ng anumang pahayag ang komite habang nakabinbin ang pagkukumpleto ng inisyal na pagsusuri sa isyu.
“In order to comply with Rule XLVII, Section 128 regarding confidentiality, out of fairness to all respondents, and to assure the integrity of its work, the Committee will refrain from making further public statements on this matter pending completion of its initial review,” ayon sa senador.
Kamakailan, tinanggal ng House of Representatives ang mahigit P1.23 billion halaga ng confidential funds ng limang ahensiya sa 2024 proposed budget kabilang ang P500 million nakalaan sa OVP at P125 million sa DepEd.
Sa Senador, binawasan ang P10.1 bilyon tungo sa P9.8 bilyon ang confidential at intelligence funds sa kasalukuyang bersiyon ng panukalang 2024 national budget.
“This happened after the Senate adopted the House of Representatives’ decision to reduce the CIF in the General Appropriations Bill (GAB), ” ayon kay Senador Sonny Angara, chairman ng Senate finance committee.
