Lacson: Code names in liquidation of intelligence funds must be supported by paper trail

Former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on March 10, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Code names can be used in the liquidation of intelligence funds but these names must still be verifiable, former Sen. Panfilo Lacson — also a former national police chief — said Friday.

Lacson made the clarification as he disavowed a quote card circulating in social media made to seem that he spoke out against asking for the identities of persons involved in projects using intelligence funds. 

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"It is fake and obviously manipulated," Lacson said of the quote.

Citing his previous experience in law enforcement, Lacson said that "the basic premise is that all public funds — including intelligence funds — are accountable and subject to audit, with slight differences in the procedure of liquidation."

He said that the use of intelligence funds requires the submission of an "intelligence project" detailing expenses. Those documents are kept in a sealed envelope, he said. 

"While they may use codes or aliases to protect their informers, there should be a paper trail ensuring the identities of the informers can be verified. In short, there is no difference between regular and intelligence funds as far as being subject to audit is concerned. The difference lies merely in a matter of procedure," Lacson, also a former chair of the Senate Committee on Accounts, said.

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Lacson acknowledged that people with access to the identities of the people hiding behind code names "must bear the responsibility and equal accountability under existing laws to maintain the confidentiality of the same" but agreed that scrutiny of intelligence funds — and confidential funds, the counterpart for civilian agencies — should continue.

"Even if the amount being questioned is just 10 pesos, it is still public funds," he said as he called on the public to verify online content like quote cards before sharing them.

"This is not something new. Huwag tayong magpaloko."

Lacson's comments come as Vice President Sara Duterte's use of her 2022 confidential funds is under intense scrutiny and is the subject of impeachment complaints at the House of Representatives.

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Among other issues, critics have claimed, that some of the names in the liquidation reports her office submitted cannot be traced by the Phiippine Statistics Authority.

The PSA has since issued certifications that they do not have records for some of the names in the liquidation reports of the OVP.