MANILA – Confidential and intelligence funds of the national government shot up 101.78 percent to P8.98 billion in 2017 from P4.44 billion in 2016, according to the Commission on Audit.
A total of P8,967,373 was spent on “Confidential, Intelligence and Extraordinary and Miscellaneous Expenses,” as shown in the COA’s 2017 Annual Financial Report.
The Confidential, Intelligence and Extraordinary Expenses (CIEE) are part of the total Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) worth P302.21 billion.
“Confidential, intelligence and extraordinary expenses totaling P8.98 billion represented 2.97 percent of the total MOOE,” the COA said. “This group of accounts posted an increase of P4.52 billion, or 101.78 percent from previous year of P4.44 billion.”
Three agencies spent the funds in billions of pesos – Office of the President, P2.515 billion; Department of National Defense, 2.222 billion; and Congress, P1.797 billion.
Other agencies listed in the CIEE included the Department of the Interior and Local Government, other executive offices, Department of Justice, the Judiciary, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Department of Finance, and Department of Education.
The top five major components of the MOOE were Supplies and Materials Expenses, P69.67 billion; Other Maintenance and Operating Expenses, P63.55 billion; Professional Services, P31.11 billion; Training and Scholarship Expenses, P30.80 billion; and Repairs and Maintenance Expenses, P26.96 billion.
COA commissioner Michael Aguinaldo sent the 2017 Annual Financial Report in September to President Rodrigo Duterte, House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
According to a 2015 COA circular, intelligence and confidential funds are not subject to normal auditing procedures. Documents of disbursements are submitted in a sealed envelope to the Intelligence and Confidential Fund Audit Unit under the COA’s Office of the Chairperson. (ABS-CBN News)
