Duterte vetoes the provision of the national budget on the disclosure of the spending of intelligence funds to Congress

ARCHIVE – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on December 26, 2020. ALFRED FRIAS / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has vetoed a provision in the 2021 national budget that requires disclosure to Congress how intelligence funds will be spent.

In his veto message released Tuesday, Duterte said that “all activities related to intelligence gathering that have a direct impact on national security and public safety will be reported to me directly.”

“Accordingly, I have to directly veto the condition … which effectively requires quarterly reporting on the use of intelligence funds to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Speaker of the Senate of the Philippines,” Duterte added.

The president further noted that “matters related to national security are considered confidential or classified information.”

“I can agree or disagree, but if it’s about national security, then I can see your point,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said in a message to journalists when he sought to comment on the president’s decision to veto. said provision.

“The security group insists that there are members of Congress who are sympathetic or supposedly connected with the CPP / NPA [(Communist Party of the Philippines/ New People’s Army]. PRRD probably thinks that it is better not to telegraph the intelligence actions of the Executive ”, he added.

In his 14-page veto message, the president also vetoed provisions on the use of government agency revenue. He noted that all agency revenue will accumulate in the general fund of the national government unless authorized by a separate law.

“[P]Visions that allow agencies to use their revenues without separate legal bases are not only considered ‘riders’, but will also have the effect of reducing funding sources for this year’s budget while increasing agency allocations further. beyond their approved spending levels. ”Duterte said.

Vetoed by the president are the special provisions on employment permit for foreigners from the Department of Labor and Employment, the use of income from the Philippine Foreign Employment Administration, the use of income from the Philippine Career Commission and the confidential fund of the Board of Optical Media.

Duterte also rejected the provision authorizing the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to use its excess dividends, noting that all government-owned or controlled corporations must report and remit at least 50 percent of their annual net earnings as cash, shares or dividends owned by the national government unless the national economy and general welfare require the percentage to be adjusted.

The so-called “inappropriate provisions” were also vetoed by the President in the budget. This includes special provisions in the Department of Transportation’s utility vehicle modernization program and in the forensic laboratory division of the Public Lawyers Office and more.

“The fiscal year [fiscal year] The 2021 national budget is quite unique as it has been drawn up amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, ”Duterte said.

However, it remains oriented towards our highest aspiration for the Filipino people: ‘matatag, maginhawa, en panatag na buhay’, drawing on the achievements and lessons of past years, “he continued.”

Duterte signed the national budget of $ 4.5 trillion for 2021 on Monday, which he said is a year in which the Philippines “intends to recover as one.” – with a report by Christia Marie Ramos

CFC / MUF

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