By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio will no longer pursue the request of the Office of the Vice President for P500 million in confidential and intelligence funds for 2024.
This was disclosed by Senator Sonny Angara on Thursday, saying that his office received the statement from Duterte-Carpio.
“Your honor we received a statement from the VP [and] we discussed [it] earlier. According to her, the OVP can only propose a budget to support the safe implementation of its programs to alleviate poverty and promote [the] general welfare of Filipino families,” Angara said.
“Nonetheless, they will no longer pursue the confidential and intelligence funds or the confidential funds. The reason is that it seems to be divisive, and as the VP, she swore and [took an] oath to keep the country peaceful and strong,” said the chair of the Senate Committee on Finance and sponsor of the 2024 national budget bill.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III commended the Vice President for her act.
“Given this manifestation of the Vice President, I commend her for now categorically stating to this House that it is not a deferral to our wisdom. She does not want it anymore,” Pimentel said.
The OVP has asked for P500-M confidential funds while the Department of Education, also headed by Duterte-Carpio, requested P150-M confidential funds.
The House of Representatives has stripped the confidential funds of five agencies and realigned the funds to security offices.
(ai/mnm)