Once again, the Office of the President (OP) is requesting the majority of confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) from Congress for 2024, totaling P4.56 billion, the same amount as this year. It is worth noting that President Marcos also holds the position of agriculture secretary, and the Department of Agriculture is seeking P50 million in secret expenses for next year that are not included in the 2023 budget. The Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), now sister agencies under the leadership of Vice President Sara Duterte, have both asked for a combined P650 million in confidential funds for the second consecutive year. If things remain unchanged, Mr. Marcos and Duterte will have control over more than half of the P10.14 billion in CIF allotted in the 2024 national budget. This is an exorbitant amount of public funds entrusted to civilian agencies without the necessary mandate or expertise in surveillance and intelligence gathering.
However, what is even more frustrating is that taxpayers will likely never know how these secretive funds will be used. We have remained oblivious to their utilization or misuse over the years, even before the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte when the share allocated to Malacañang never exceeded P1 billion. Confidential expenses are described by budget managers as those related to surveillance to prevent illegal activities and protect an agency’s operations, while intelligence expenses involve collecting information crucial to national security, often carried out by the military and police. The release of intelligence funds requires the president’s approval, but confidential funds only need the department secretary’s consent, which may explain why Duterte’s offices have an abundance of the latter but none of the former.
According to a 2015 budget and audit circular, agencies must present plans and submit quarterly reports on the use of CIF. The Commission on Audit (COA) conducts post-audits of the expenditure liquidation based on the agencies’ own submissions. However, it is important to note that the term “internal” in the circular implies that documentation of CIF is destined to remain confidential and hidden from public scrutiny beyond the walls of the COA. As Rep. Edcel Lagman put it, the scrutiny of CIF is nothing more than “furtive auditing procedures behind closed doors between the audited and the auditor.” It is worth mentioning that the level of secrecy is not a recent development, but what has changed significantly over the past few administrations is the substantial increase in the amount of confidential funds allocated to the OP, and more recently, the OVP. The latter, which is primarily a ceremonial office, is requesting P500 million in confidential funds, a greater share than the departments of defense (P87 million), justice (P471.29 million), and interior (P100.6 million) combined. The DepEd’s allocation of P150 million in secret expenses has also raised concerns. In fact, the main question that educators face today is not how surveillance on campus can benefit them and their students but how P150 million can be best utilized, for example, in terms of providing sufficient resources and facilities.
In response to her critics, Duterte argues that “education is intertwined with national security” and it is crucial to shape patriotic children who will love and defend the country. However, this reasoning is undermined by the pressing issues faced by the education sector, such as lack of facilities and resources, underpaid teachers, and students who struggle with basic skills like reading, writing, and arithmetic.
To be clear, the issue is not the existence of these secret funds. Undoubtedly, CIF plays a role in maintaining order and safeguarding the nation from threats. The problem lies in the lack of transparency mechanisms to ensure that these funds are being used for their intended purpose and that the officials entrusted with them are acting responsibly, especially during a critical period when the economy is recovering from a pandemic, the cost of living remains high, and many are grappling with the aftermath of recent disasters. The Senate has made intermittent attempts to scrutinize CIF spending, but the results or accomplishments of its “select oversight committee” remain undisclosed. Nevertheless, it is encouraging to hear Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s promise to hold hearings on CIF. However, for now, the only defense the public has to monitor the increasingly powerful offices in charge of these funds is the diligent work of our overburdened state auditors, who are obligated to operate in secrecy according to their own rules. They must carry out their task with courage and integrity.
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