SENATE RECONSTITUTES BODY TO OVERSEE INTEL
AND CONFIDENTIAL FUNDS, CHIZ HEADS

The senate will exercise its oversight functions over how intelligence and confidential funds granted to different government agencies are used and spent.

Senate Resolution No. 139 which Senator Chiz Escudero filed was adopted by the Upper House automatically reconstituting a select oversight committee on intelligence and confidential funds, programs and activities.

Escudero, who was named chairman of the committee, said that there is a need to hold the recipients of the funds accountable to ensure that it is disbursed for what it was appropriated for.

"Intelligence funds are used to gather information by those entities with enforcement function. They should work expediently with the budget that they receive".

The senator said the discretionary nature of these funds give agencies the authority to decide how many is spent without subjecting it to audit.

However, Escudero said this fiscal autonomy is oftentimes misused and abused thus the need for the senate to put these funds under close monitoring and supervision.

"How these funds are used and spent should run corollary to strengthened safety nets of our intelligence community which in turn provides a safe and orderly environment for our people".

From past experiences, Escudero said more often than not our intelligence community has a problem, "either they fail or there is an absence of intelligence. The intent of the senate in constituting the oversight body is to check the efficiency of such relevant institutions in the prevention of crimes and apprehension of criminals to assure the public that the money they put under the care of these agencies is used for the collective benefit of the people".