Sinabi ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Biyernes na dapat i-rationalize o bigyang-katwiran ng gobyerno ang intelligence at confidential funds at siguraduhin ang pagbabantay ng paggamit para sulit ang bawat singko na gagamitin para dito.

“Every single centavo is hard earned money for Filipinos. Every single centavo should produce a result. If the intel and confidential funds give us less crime, more security, better information, then good. If it does not, may problema tayo,” sinabi ng independent senador sa mga reporter sa isang press briefer nitong September 15, 2023.

Ayon kay Cayetano, isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit hirap ang publiko na pagkatiwalaan ang paggamit ng intelligence and confidential funds ay dahil tanging ang Commission on Audit (COA) lamang ang makakapagbantay sa paggamit nito.

“Dahil hindi natin kita, we have to rely on their word so nagkakaroon ng pagdududa. What we have to admit today is that we are relying on the trustworthiness n’ung may hawak ng fund. Right now the distrust comes from the fact that it’s only the COA who will open it, at nagiging basis natin y’ung trustworthy ng person,” wika ng senador.

Aniya, isa sa mga paraan upang siguraduhin ang pananagutan sa paggamit ng mga pondong ito ay ang pagbuo ng gobyerno ng isang oversight committee na babantayan ito.

“For me, magkaroon lang [dapat] ng way to rationalize it at magkaroon ng information like ano ang limits mo. One way of doing that is to have a select committee oversight on intelligence,” sabi niya. ‘Walang personalan’ sa confidential funds.’

Nang tanungin siya tungkol sa isyu ng paglipat ng Office of the President ng P125 million sa Office of the Vice President, sabi ni Cayetano na tatanungin niya ito sa budget hearing sa Senado.

“I am sure mauunahan ako, but many senators will ask that question kasi pare-pareho kami ng knowledge na kapag walang item, you cannot augment it. We’ll wait for the budget hearing here in the Senate to ask that question,” wika niya.

Sa isyung ito, sabi ni Cayetano na mas mahalaga sa kanya kung mayroong nilabag na budget rules o wala. “I’ll just depoliticize it. It doesn’t matter to me if it was intel funds, bridge, or if it was for buying computers. The point is, did we violate our own accounting and budgeting rules?

Sa pagkakaroon ng mga civilian department tulad ng Department of Education ng intelligence funds, inulit ni Cayetano ang sinabi niya noong nakaraang taon.

“Ang stand ko last year was to give the intel fund to the Office of the Vice President especially if may usapan sila ng Presidente on issues regarding security… But if you give the Department of Education intel funds, you should give all departments,” aniya.

“So my personal stand is walang personalan. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” dagdag niya.