Introductions:

Quimbo said that the entire P10 billion confidential and intelligence funds cannot be removed
altogether given that there are agencies whose mandates include surveillance, which is paid for by
confidential and intelligence funds.

“There are government agencies, like the Justice Department, who need confidential funds to
perform their mandate. Confidential funds are for surveillance activities, which are being done by
the Justice Department and the Bureau of Customs, among other agencies. They need funding for
surveillance activities,” she said.

Vice President Sara Z. Duterte said. "I stand before you to shed light on the crucial role of
confidential funds in ensuring the security and development of our beloved nation. In the pursuit of
progress, it is imperative that we prioritize the well-being of our citizens and safeguard the peace
and order that underpins our society. Let us remember that security and development do not come
with a price tag; they are the very essence of a thriving nation, anyone who attacks or undermines
funds allocated for peace and order is naturally assumed to have insidious motivations. Those who
seek to compromise the security and development of our nation jeopardize the very fabric of our
society and hinder our progress,” she said in a speech last week.

References:

According to Section 4.8: Confidential Funds shall be used only for the following Confidential
Expenses:
 4.8.1 Purchase of information necessary for the formulation and implementation of programs,
activities, and projects relevant to national security and peace and order;

4.8.2 Rental of transport vehicle related to confidential activities;

4.8.3 Rentals and the incidental expenses related to the maintenance of safe houses;

4.8.4 Purchase or rental of supplies, materials, and equipment for confidential operations that
cannot be done through regular procedures without compromising the information-gathering
activity concerned;

4.8.5 Payment of rewards to informers (non-employee of concerned government agency)

subject to the following conditions:

a. Approval by the HoA in the case of LGUs and NGAs and approval by the Chairman
of the Board in the case of GOCC.

b. Supported with documents evidencing the success of the information gathering and/or
surveillance activities on account of the information given by the informer; and

c. Directly related to the conduct of the specific confidential activities of authorized

agencies.

4.8.6 Uncover/Prevent illegal activities that pose a clear and present danger to agency
personnel/property, or other facilities and resources under the agency protection, done in
coordination with the appropriate law enforcement agencies;

part of the P1.2-billion confidential fund of the OVP, DepEd, DA, DFA and the DICT have also
been realigned to their MOOE as follows:

 P30 million for the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
 P25 million for DICT
 P30 million for DFA
 P50 million for the Office of the Ombudsman and
 P150 million
 for DepEd’s Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education

Question and Answer:

Question: Why does it has to be confidential?
Answer: Not all national security information are allowed to be disclosed to citizens. (section 7)
Question: How will you make sure that the said funds will not be used for corruption?
Answer: Confidential investigative expenses are for the purchase of services and would include
travel or transportation of the armed forces and undercover officer or an informant. The lease of an
apartment, boat, aircraft or similar effects to establish the appearance of affluence, credibility and a
general atmosphere conducive to the undercover role would also be in this category, meals,
beverages, and similar expenses for undercover purposes, within reasonable limits, would also be
included.
Confidential funds for the purchase of evidence would include the purchase of evidence and/or
contraband such as drugs, firearms, stolen property, etc., required to determine the existence of a
crime or to establish the identity of a participant in a crime.
Confidential funds for the purchase of specific information from informants.

Question: Will there be a receipt every purchase?

Answer:
1. The supervisor of the unit to which the imprest fund is assigned must authorize all advances
of money to agents or officers for the purchase of information. Such authorization must specify
the information to be received, the amount of expenditures, and assumed name of informer.

2. The investigation unit must maintain confidential files of the true names, assumed names,
and signature of all informers to whom payments have been made. To the extent practicable
pictures and/or fingerprints of the informer payee should also be maintained.

3. The custodian should receive from the agency or officer authorized to make a confidential
payment, a receipt for cash advanced to him/her for such purposes.

4. The agent or officer should receive from the informer a receipt of the following nature:

5. The signed receipt from the informer payee with a memorandum detailing the information
received must be forwarded to the agent or officer in charge. The agency or officer in charge
must compare the signature on the receipt with the confidential file of assumed name
signatures. He/she must also evaluate the information received in relation to the expense
incurred, and add his/her evaluation remarks to the report of the agent or officer who made the
expenditure. A certification of payment to the custodian should serve as support for the
expenditure from the imprest fund. The certification should be witnessed by the agent or
officer in charge on the basis of the report and informer payee’s receipt.
 6. Each agent or officer in charge must prepare a quarterly report showing status and
reconciliation of the imprest fund and itemizing each payment, name used by informer payee,
information received and use to which information was put. This report must be made part of
the files and reviewed quarterly by the head of the municipality’s law enforcement agency.

Counter question:
1. Do you acknowledge that full disclosure of national security information, safe for the
security of our nation? Why?
2. ..
3. ..
4. ..
5. ..