The Senate oversight committee has crafted rules to follow for the review of the confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) of government agencies for the fiscal year 2022 to 2023, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has announced.

The review was initiated amidst the criticisms on how government agencies utilized the said CIF.

In an interview with the media on Wednesday, Zubiri said the rules were agreed during the first organizational meeting of the Select Oversight Committee on Intelligence and Confidential Funds, Programs and Activities.

“We discussed the guidelines that must be followed by committee members with regards to the handling of documents submitted to the Committee. This is to prepare for substantive discussion, so that we are all on the same page in the handling of information, given the confidential nature of these funds,” he said.

Zubiri said the rules will serve as a guide to them on weighing whether the fund of a certain government agency will be slashed, removed, or increased.

“The rules were crafted to specifically deal with the confidential nature of the funds, but we assure everyone that the Majority and Minority are working in hand to ensure that these funds have been put to proper use," he stressed.

The Select Oversight Committee is composed of members namely, Senators Sonny Angara, Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, and Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.

Senators Risa Hontiveros and Raffy Tulfo joined the organizatonal meeting upon the invitation of the oversight committee.

The Senate President said the committee will review the CIF of 28 government agencies, including the Office of the President (OP), Office of the Vice President (OVP), and Department of Education (DepEd).

Zubiri said they are aiming to finish review by mid November.