Bayan Muna wants Gloria’s huge intel funds, budget for 2 new helicopters scrapped
If you had the money, where would you spend it on? Two brand new helicopters for the President or better schools, hospitals and the protection of the environment?
If Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño would have his way, the P1.3 billion budget for two new helicopters for the Office of the President would be realigned to meet the shortfalls in the education, health and environment budgets. The President's P650M intelligence and confidential funds would likewise be re-channeled to other priorities.
These are just some of the amendments to be pushed by the militant solon today in the proposed 2008 budget.
“Included in the proposed P1.227 trillion national budget for 2008 is the purchase of two new Bell helicopters for the President priced at P1,268,800,000. The Palace already has seven helicopters in its command! Why should the President buy two more?" an incredulous Casiño said.
He also said the President's P650 million confidential and intelligence expenses dwarfed the combined intelligence funds for the PNP and DND-AFP which is at P421 million. "These confidential and intelligence funds are being used by the President against her critics. It funds, for example, the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) that was responsible for the fake rebellion case against the Batasan 6 as well as other trumped up charges against Leftist and opposition personalities," said Casiño.
"Since intelligence and confidential funds are not audited, these are most likely sources of major kickbacks for the President and her allies in the Palace,” Casiño said.
The Bayan Muna solon proposed some “major innovative amendments that would definitely have a positive effect on some sectors of national budget.”
“We will propose the realignment of parts of the P1,290,329,000 line item for Confidential and Intelligence Expenses allotted for the Departments Interior and Local Government, Finance, Transportation and Communication, Justice, and the Presidential Anti-organized Crime Commission (PACC), Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and that these be re-channeled to the budget of the Department of Education and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). These expenses under Maintenance and other Operating Expenses (MOOE) are not usually subject to government audit,” Casiño said.
“We will also push for the realignment of the DILG’s P3B Kilos Asenso Support Fund and the AFP’s P1B Kalayaan Barangay Fund to the Department of Health, and the realignment of the DENR Confidential and Intelligence Funds to the Environmental Management Bureau,” Casiño added.
The militant solon outlined the following agencies with Confidential and Intelligence Expenses where he would move to be transferred to education and health spending:
If Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño would have his way, the P1.3 billion budget for two new helicopters for the Office of the President would be realigned to meet the shortfalls in the education, health and environment budgets. The President's P650M intelligence and confidential funds would likewise be re-channeled to other priorities.
These are just some of the amendments to be pushed by the militant solon today in the proposed 2008 budget.
“Included in the proposed P1.227 trillion national budget for 2008 is the purchase of two new Bell helicopters for the President priced at P1,268,800,000. The Palace already has seven helicopters in its command! Why should the President buy two more?" an incredulous Casiño said.
He also said the President's P650 million confidential and intelligence expenses dwarfed the combined intelligence funds for the PNP and DND-AFP which is at P421 million. "These confidential and intelligence funds are being used by the President against her critics. It funds, for example, the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) that was responsible for the fake rebellion case against the Batasan 6 as well as other trumped up charges against Leftist and opposition personalities," said Casiño.
"Since intelligence and confidential funds are not audited, these are most likely sources of major kickbacks for the President and her allies in the Palace,” Casiño said.
The Bayan Muna solon proposed some “major innovative amendments that would definitely have a positive effect on some sectors of national budget.”
“We will propose the realignment of parts of the P1,290,329,000 line item for Confidential and Intelligence Expenses allotted for the Departments Interior and Local Government, Finance, Transportation and Communication, Justice, and the Presidential Anti-organized Crime Commission (PACC), Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and that these be re-channeled to the budget of the Department of Education and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). These expenses under Maintenance and other Operating Expenses (MOOE) are not usually subject to government audit,” Casiño said.
“We will also push for the realignment of the DILG’s P3B Kilos Asenso Support Fund and the AFP’s P1B Kalayaan Barangay Fund to the Department of Health, and the realignment of the DENR Confidential and Intelligence Funds to the Environmental Management Bureau,” Casiño added.
The militant solon outlined the following agencies with Confidential and Intelligence Expenses where he would move to be transferred to education and health spending:
| AGENCY | 2008 Budget for Confidential and Intelligence Funds | TOTALS | To be re-allocated to: |
| DOFinance Intelligence Funds | 4.5 M | 137.6 M | Department of Education and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) |
| DOTC Intelligence Funds | 3.1 M | ||
| DOJ Intelligence Funds (excluding NBI and Bureau of Immigration) | 95 M | ||
| PCGG | 5 M | ||
| PACC | 15 M | ||
| PDEA | 15 M | ||
| Kilos Asenso Support Fund (DILG) | 3B | P4 B | Department of Health |
| Kalayaan Barangay Fund (AFP) | 1 B | ||
| | | | |
| DENR Intelligence Funds | 4.369 M | 4.369 M | DENR-EMB |
“Confidential and intelligence funds should be re-allocated to education, health and environment protection spending. We must substantially reduce if not totally scrap Gloria Arroyo’s potential sources of potential kickbacks in the 2008 budget,” Casiño said.
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