By Liezelle Soriano
THE country can live without confidential intelligence funds, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman said, amid the concerns raised by the opposition and concerned citizens, but agencies that truly need intelligence gathering funds must be spared.
According to the Special Provision General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2022, confidential funds are lump sum amounts for expenses related to “surveillance activities in civilian government agencies” to support their mandate or operations.
“Definitely, the country can go ahead without confidential funds. Pero itong intelligence funds, kailangan ito sa mga ahensya na engaged talaga in gathering intelligence,” the lawmaker said in a radio interview.
The legislator pointed out that the finances for confidential and intelligence operations at the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Office of the Solicitor-General (OSG) were not justified.
“Kung kailangan nila (OSG) ng surveillance, bakit hindi i-avail ‘yung services ng NBI. Kapares din ng DICT. Kung kailangan nila mag-avail ng services for surveillance purposes, andiyan ang PNP, andiyan ang military, at andiyan ang NBI,” he said.
“They should avail of these services without getting ang pondo on confidential funds,” the senior lawmaker from Albay said. (ai/mnm)
