Lagman wants realigned confidential funds to national security agencies reduced

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 12) — A lawmaker on Thursday said the ₱981 million confidential funds realigned to national security agencies should still be reduced to prevent duplication of allocation and tasks.

“The ₱981 million is too huge and this can be reduced to (an) amount which should be available not to all of these agencies but particularly the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) or the office of the executive director of the National Security Council (NSC),” Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman told CNN Philippines’ The Source.

A small committee at the House of Representatives on Tuesday announced that the confidential funds of some civilian agencies, which include the Sara Duterte-led Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, have been realigned to agencies focused on national security.

Specifically, the NICA received ₱300 million, the NSC ₱100 million, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ₱200 million, and the Department of Transportation ₱381.8 million for the development and expansion of Pag-asa Island Airport.

Lagman said the total amount should be halved and be allocated only to NICA and the office of the executive director of the NSC. Other agencies, like the PCG, can just tap their surveillance and intelligence services, “so there will be no duplication of appropriations,” he added.

The lawmaker also believes that no amount of confidential and intelligence funds allocated to security agencies would be enough to subdue China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

“We should be able to have other means like economic sanctions to be imposed by the Philippines…in order to be able to get the implementation of the award,” he said, referring to the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling that invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea. The tribunal largely ruled in favor of the Philippines in areas covering its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf that are being claimed by Beijing.