Congress asked to slash Ombudsman's confidential funds from P51M to P1M

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman requested to reduce its confidential funds for the next two years.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires made this request to Congress, which is currently reviewing the proposed 2024 national budget.

"Consistent with my earlier pronouncement on the matter, I would like to officially request that notwithstanding its investigative functions, that the Office of the Ombudsman be appropriated the amount of One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00) for its Confidential and Intelligence Fund (CIF) in FYs 2024 and 2025 or until the end of my term of office as Ombudsman,” Martires said in a letter dated October 6, addressed to Senate finance committee chairman Sonny Angara.

Martires, who will be in office until 2025, also sent a similar letter to Rep. Zaldy Co, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations. 

It could be recalled that Martires during the hearings for the budget of the anti-graft agency requested to set aside the allotted P51.5 million in confidential funds set by the Department of Budget and Management.

He refused the “controversial” confidential funds to “protect the integrity of the Ombudsman and its office.”

“I think we can survive without confidential funds,” Martires said in September.

On October 10, the House Committee on Appropriations scrapped the confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President and four other government agencies.

The Office of the Ombudsman will instead receive P50 million for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses.