Pimentel: DICT does not need confidential funds

SENATE minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III yesterday said he is against giving the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) confidential funds since the agency is involved in implementing the government’s information and communications technology policies, and not involved in criminal law enforcement.

“Is the DICT involved in criminal law enforcement? No. It was created to lay down all the cybersecurity measures of the government. It is not a law enforcement (agency), that’s why we have the PNP Cybercrime Group, the NBI Cybercrime Group,” Pimentel told radio dzBB.

Pimentel took exception to the DICT explanation in past budget hearings that it needs P300 million in confidential funds to purchase equipment to fight cybercrimes.

The DICT said it will not provide the details of the equipment since doing so enables cybercriminals to know the kind of equipment the agency will use.

Pimentel said the DICT should instead include the purchase of equipment under its line-item program since it is not required to give specific details of the equipment to be purchased.

“It doesn’t have to be confidential funds. It can be included in the line items. You don’t have to indicate the brand you will buy, just state there that this is for the purchase of hi-tech equipment versus cybercrime,” he added.

Pimentel said this only goes to show the DICT does not want to observe the budget process since using confidential funds to buy equipment would not require strict audit procedures.

“I will be against confidential funds for civilian agencies whose primary mandate is not criminal law enforcement,” Pimentel said.

A number of senators have been pushing to retain the P300 million DICT confidential funds stripped by a panel from the House of Representatives, saying the agency needs the money to fight the increasing attacks on government websites.