DICT’S PRIMARY ROLE IS NOT CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT — PIMENTEL

By Liza Soriano

Senator Koko Pimentel asserted that it is not necessary for the purchase of Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) equipment to come from confidential funds.

According to Pimentel, the DICT should create a policy to fight cybercrime without the need for confidential funds.

“The DICT’s primary role is not criminal law enforcement. It is not. It may have but it is not the primary role,” the lawmaker said.

The DICT is one of those agencies whose confidential funds were stripped by the House of Representatives, where it has a proposal of P300 million.

DICT Secretary John Ivan Uy said earlier that he would appeal to the Senate to return the agency’s confidential funds.

However, Pimentel said, “If we push that logic, it’s absurd, extreme. Ang buong budget pala ng Philippine National Police puwede nilang sabihin confidential fund na.”

(ai/mnm)