The Senate on Thursday ended plenary debates on the proposed 2023 budgets of the Office of the President and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

During the hearing, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III suggested that the P.4.5 billion intelligence funds and confidential funds under the P8.9 billion proposed budget of the Office of the President should be slashed.

“Why should the Office of the President be given intelligence funds at 2.25 billion (pesos) when there are already existing intelligence agencies and units which can serve the intelligence needs of the Office of the President or the President himself?” Pimentel asked.

Senator Sonny Angara said President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. needed reliable information to maintain order in the country.

“Well, the President, as we know under the Constitution is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He’s also the chairman of the National Security Council…If there is one person who needs good intelligence or information in the whole country, I think there is no argument that it is our President,” Angara said.

Pimentel asked if the Office of the President was open to submitting periodic accomplishment reports on the use of confidential and intelligence funds.

Angara said they will comply since agencies that use confidential funds need to submit reports to both chambers of Congress and the Office of the President on how they spent the funds.

The Senate plenary also approved the proposed budget of the DOJ and its attached agencies including the National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration, and the Public Attorney’s Office. Jaspearl Tan/DMS