President Rodrigo Duterte refused to report to Congress how intelligence funds are being spent, saying that such reports should only be submitted to him.

In his 14-page veto message on Tuesday, December 29, the President directly vetoed the proviso under Section 76 in the General Provisions, which requires quarterly submissions of intelligence fund spending to the House speaker and the Senate president.

“I am duty bound to protect national security and maintain public safety, as well as ensure peace and order at all time. Hence, all activities involving intelligence gathering that have a direct impact on national security and public safety shall be reported directly to me,” Duterte said.

The President said matters related to national security are “deemed confidential or classified information,” invoking the exceptions under the Freedom of Information executive order.

Duterte also cited the “governmental privilege against public disclosure” of matters regarding military, diplomatic, and other national security concerns, quoting Senate of the Philippines vs Ermita which cited Chavez vs PCGG.

Other items veteod

The President also vetoed special provisions on the use of income, particularly of the following agencies:

• Department of Labor and Employment
• Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
• Philippine Racing Commission
• Optical Media Board

Duterte said that income of all agencies should go to the general fund of the national government, unless authorized by a separate law.

He also maintained that government-owned and controlled corporations should remit at least 50% of their annual net earnings to the national government, vetoing the special provision under Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority on using excess dividends.

The President also vetoed special provisions under the following agencies, saying that these “do not relate to particular appropriations in the budget”:

• Department of Agrarian Reform on condonation of interests, penalties, and surcharges
• Department of Trade and Industry on credit mediation services
• Department of Transportation on the public utility vehicle modernization program
• Public Attorney’s Office on the Forensic Laboratory Division

It is unclear what the provisions exactly refer to, as the Department of Budget and Management has yet to release the full copy of the 2021 General Appropriations Act.

Infrastructure projects

In his veto message, the President listed infrastructure-related spending in DA, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Toll Regulatory Board under conditional implementation, subject to government guidelines.

The President didn’t veto questionable infrastructure items raised by Senator Panfilo Lacson.

Lacson said there are 793 infrastructure projects with an allocation of P1 million each. The senator had proposed a P68-billion decrease in the DPWH budget, but this was not accommodated during the bicameral conference committee.

2021 budget: The battle for ‘pork’

Lacson raised hell against the P28.3 billion increase in the DPWH budget for 2021. From the original P666-billion DPWH budget under the 2021 NEP, the proposed public works funds in 2021 is now close to P700 billion under the budget bill.

Unlike this year, the President also did not place some items under the “For Later Release” category, which sparked tensions at the House of Representatives for its botched release for funding pandemic efforts. – Rappler.com