House of Representative Secretary Reginald Velasco, on Wednesday, October 10, denied allegations that Congress has Confidential Funds (CF) for 2023.
In a statement, Velasco said that the lower house had previously agreed with former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte that government expenditures should be transparent and fully auditable.
"The House has no confidential or intelligence funds. All line items in our budget are subject to regular accounting and auditing rules and regulations. Laging bukas po ang aming libro sa Commission on Audit," Velasco said.
According to the House Secretary, the lower chamber has no disallowances, citing the latest COA report released on October 2.
Velasco confidently said that the House has no notice of suspension and no notice of charge.
"Ibig sabihin po, poasado kami sa COA," he said.
Recently, a post on social media was circulating claiming that the chamber has ₱1.6 billion in secret funds.
In a press conference on Tuesday, senior vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations Stella Quimbo, together with the House's ranking leaders, explained that the ₱1.6 billion in funding was allocated as the chamber's "extraordinary expenses" for this year.
Quimbo said extraordinary expenses are "fully auditable," citing as an example expenses during calamities.
