A 2015 Commission on Audit (COA) set of guidelines defines confidential expenses as lump sum amounts for “surveillance activities in civilian government agencies.” It categorically states that “in no case shall (confidential or intelligence funds) be used for … construction or acquisition of buildings or housing structures.”
Contrary to Zubiri’s claim, the Philippine National Police reported on Nov. 14 that 46 deaths occurred in 18,505 anti-drug operations since the Marcos administration assumed power on June 30. The police claimed the 46 individuals killed were suspects who resisted arrest.
Although the Marcos administration placed “social protection” as one of its budget priorities for “human capital development,” Sonny Africa, executive director of the nonprofit IBON Foundation, noted that the total allocation for these programs in 2023 is P33.28 billion less than the P262.67 billion for 2022.
While Marcos did garner the highest number of votes in Philippine electoral history, his share of the vote (58.7%) in the May 2022 balloting is only the country’s third highest vote percentage, next to former presidents Manuel L. Quezon (67.9%, 1935) and Ramon Magsaysay (68.9%, 1953).
Press freedom in the Philippines does not fare better than Singapore and Malaysia, according to the Paris-based World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders.
