Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte once again defended the allocations of her offices' confidential and intelligence funds, saying it is crucial for the peace and order of the nation.
Speaking before the 122nd police service anniversary of the Police Regional Office 13 in Butuan City on Wednesday, Duterte said that anyone who attacks or undermines the CIFs allocated for peace and order is assumed to have "insidious motivations."
She further stressed the role of confidential funds in maintaining security by providing the necessary resources to address unforeseen challenges swiftly and decisively.
"Anyone who attacks or undermines funds allocated for peace and order is naturally assumed to have insidious motivations. Such actions go against the protection and well-being of the citizenry. Those who seek to compromise the security and development of our nation jeopardize the very fabric of our society and hinder our progress," the Vice President said.
"Tandaan ninyo, kung sino man ang kumokontra sa confidential funds ay kumokontra sa kapayapaan. Kung sino ang kumokontra sa kapayapaan ay kalaban ng bayan," she added.
For the fiscal year of 2024, the office of Duterte asked for a combined PHP 650 million CIFs for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Last month, Congress agreed to reallocate the confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) to agencies in charge of ensuring national security following the recent actions of China in the West Philippine Sea.
When asked if this includes the controversial confidential funds of the OVP and DepEd, Senate President Migz Zubiri said they have yet to review all agencies.
