Camille Naredo

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte lead the Basic Education Report 2024 at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on January 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte lead the Basic Education Report 2024 at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on January 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

PH-MARCOS-DUTERTE

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175550993918020240125-bbm-sara-duterte-educ-report-JC-10 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte lead the Basic Education Report 2024 at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on January 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File"/>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte lead the Basic Education Report 2024 at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on January 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA -- ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio on Monday said the President’s confidential fund spending warrants scrutiny similar to that of the vice president’s.During the budget hearing, the lawmaker said the allocation of confidential funds has grown significantly under former President Rodrigo Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.“Lumaki po ang confidential funds mula panahon ni pangulong Duterte at lalong patuloy sa ilalim na pangulong Marcos… kung dati mga P600 million ang confidential funds, sa ilalim ng Duterte at Marcos, ito ay naging P4.5 billion,” Rep. Tinio said.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/14/palace-defends-proposed-p4-5-billion-confidential-intel-funds-for-2026-1540">READ: Palace defends proposed P4.5-billion confidential, intel funds for 2026</a></div>He compared the vice president’s cash disbursements to the President’s and said legitimate cash advances usually come with receipts and change.Tinio said: “Tinuring na red flag yung sa paggastos at disbursement ng confidential fund of the vice president. Kasi yung kanyang disbursement, kung 125 million yung amount, disbursement na cash supposedly, 125 eksakto rin. Walang butal.”“Normally, pagka mga cash advance, kung lehitimo, may nagbibigay ng resibo, may mga barya yan, mga butal… what I would like to point out is for the Office of the President, ganun din po ang padron… sakto at walang butal. Hindi po ba dapat questionin ito?” he added.Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman replied that the Office of the President’s confidential fund is also subject to special audit.“Meron po tayong existing na guidelines patungkol sa confidential and intel funds. Ito po yung joint circular 2015-01 issued in January 8, 2015. Dito po nakalagay kung pano gagamitin… ang entitlement, release, use, reporting and audit of confidential and intel funds… but as to specific use po madam chair, nandidito po, sinasubmit po ito ng Office of the President,” she said.Tinio said the President’s office should be more transparent with confidential fund spending.“Ang punto lang po natin, kung ano ang nakita nating padron sa confidential fund ng office of the vice presidente, nakikita rin po natin sa paggamit ng confidential funds ng pangulo,” he said.“Hamon po natin sa office of the president na kung pinagpapaliwanag natin ang Vice President sa paggamit niya ng confidential funds, lalong kailangan ng pangulong magpaliwanag dahil di hamak na mas malaki ang confidential and intelligence funds of the president,” Tinio added.Malacanang last week defended the P4.5-B allocation for the president&#x27;s confidential and intelligence funds next year. &quot;Ito din naman po ay nanggaling sa DBM, that the President is the commander-in-chief and chief architect of national policy or national security and foreign policy at kinakailangan ng pondo ng Pangulo,&quot; said Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.Out of the P10.8 billion for confidential and intelligence funds under the 2026 National Expenditure Program, the Office of the President has the biggest CIF allocation at P4.5 billion followed by the Department of National Defense with P1.85 billion.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/11/vp-sara-to-explain-in-proper-forum-allegations-vs-confidential-funds-as-senate-archives-case-1835">READ: VP Sara says to ‘explain in proper forum’ allegations on confidential funds as Senate archives case</a></div>Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte has said that her camp will &quot;explain in the proper forum&quot; her answers to allegations of misuse of confidential funds.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio on Monday said the President’s confidential fund spending warrants scrutiny similar to that of the vice president’s.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio on Monday said the President’s confidential fund spending warrants scrutiny similar to that of the vice president’s.

Lawmaker says President’s confidential fund should face same scrutiny as OVP

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Lawmaker says President’s confidential fund should face same scrutiny as OVP

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 18, 2025 05:46 PM PHT

Read More:

budget

hearing

Office of the President

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

confidential funds

Sara Duterte

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