VERA Files
Even after Congress has approved the bill creating the multibillion-peso Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), questions about its constitutionality remain, particularly on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s reason certifying it as urgent.
Anong emergency ang gustong matugunan nang madalian ng MIF? Ano ang itinuturing na pampublikong kalamidad o emergency? Emergency ba ang kahirapan? Narito ang apat na bagay na kailangan mong malaman.
Mali ang pahayag ni Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri noong Nob. 7 na maaaring gamitin ang confidential funds sa pagkukumpuni ng mga silid-aralan.
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.”
Inaprubahan ng Senado noong Nob. 23 ang panukalang P5.27 trillion na pambansang budget para sa 2023. Ni-realign nito ang hindi bababa sa P170 milyon na confidential na pondo ng iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno sa kanilang maintenance at iba pang operating expenses.
What are confidential and intelligence funds? For what can these be used?
Where does the Marcos administration’s policy to “exercise prudent macroeconomic and fiscal management in prioritizing expenditures” apply?
The PDP-Laban’s leadership squabble in the 2022 elections has not been raised to the Supreme Court.
Sa pagdinig ng subcommittee ng Senado sa panukalang budget ng hudikatura para sa 2023, sinabi ni Sen. Robinhood Padilla na “nagpasya” na ang Korte Suprema sa isyu ng chairmanship sa pagitan ng dalawang paksyon sa Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). Ito ay hindi totoo.