admin 
Ni Estong Reyes
PINALAGAN ng Senado ang kumakalat na isyu sa social media na mayroong confidential at intelligence funds ang Mataas na Kapulungan sa taong kasalukuyan tulad ng Office of the Vice President at Department of Education.
Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Senate Secretary Rey Bantug na mayroon ang Senado Extraordinary and Miscellaneous Expenses (EME) na nagkakahalagang PHP331.942 million.
Kumakalat sa social media na mayroong P331 milyon na CIFs ang Senado ngayong 2023 kahit mahigpit nitong tinututulan ang pagkakaroon ng pondo base sa posisyon ng ilang mambabatas sa Mataas na Kapulungan.
“These social media posts are deliberately misleading and maliciously presented by some personalities who seek to malign and tarnish the reputation of the institution currently taking a long, hard look at the nature of CIFs and the government agencies that deserve to have them,” ayon sa pahayag ni Bantug.
Ipinaliwanag ni Bantug na sa ilalim ng Senate’s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses, tanging EME ang may line item na inilaan para sa meetings, seminars, conferences, public relations, education at iba pang aktibidad.
Inamin ni Bantug na mayroong CIFs ang Senado sa nakaraang administrasyon na umaabot sa PHP100 million sa 2020; PHP100 million sa 2021; at PHP50 million sa 2022, pero hindi nagastos.
Iginiit pa niya na tinitindigan ni Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri na hindi nila kailangan ang CIF.
“He [Zubiri] has been actively saying that confidential and intelligence funds should be for our military, police and other uniformed personnel who protect our country from both internal and external security threats,” ayon kay Bantug.
Sa kanyang Facebook post, sinabi ni Zubiri na pawang fake news ang kumakalat na reports.
“Walang confi funds ang Senado during my term. I don’t want it and I don’t need it!” aniya.
Aabot sa 30 government agencies kabilang ang Office of the Vice President, Department of Education na pinamumunuan ni Vice President Sara Duterte at Department of Agriculture na pinamumunuan ng chief executive, ang humihingi ng CIF sa 2024 proposed budgets.
Dahil dito, muling binuhay ng Senado ang Select Oversight Committee on Intelligence and Confidential Funds, Programs and Activities na magrerebyu at susuri sa naturang funding requests.
