Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178762824928720260812-senate-impeachment-day15-SSMU-VD1 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator-judges examine witness testimony on the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education’s (DepEd) as the Senate impeachment court convened for Day 15 of the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.<em> Voltaire Domingo, Senate Social Media Unit/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Congress should further restrict the use of confidential and intelligence funds, arguing that government offices with larger discretionary funds should face greater, not lesser, accountability.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/5/vp-sara-impeachment-must-trigger-overhaul-of-confidential-funds-system-drilon-1515">VP Sara impeachment must trigger overhaul of confidential funds system—Drilon</a></div><p>Hontiveros made the remarks as she discussed lessons from the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, whose use of confidential funds has been a central issue in the proceedings.</p><p>The senator said the controversy should prompt lawmakers to look beyond the Vice President’s office and examine how confidential and intelligence funds are allocated, used, and audited across government.</p><p>“Dumadami kaming mga senador dito na naniniwala na dapat mas i-restrict talaga ang confidential and intelligence funds,” Hontiveros said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart.</p><p>Hontiveros said confidential and intelligence funds should primarily be given to agencies with an actual intelligence mandate and the capacity to generate actionable intelligence. </p><p>She drew a distinction between agencies that generate intelligence and those that merely use intelligence produced by other government institutions.</p><p>“Hindi ibang mga offices na intelligence users pero intelligence generators. ‘Yung mga may mandate at may kakayahan talaga to develop actionable intelligence,” she said.</p><p>According to Hontiveros, narrowing the list of agencies eligible for such funds would be one way to strengthen accountability before the money is even released.</p><p>Hontiveros also addressed concerns over the confidential and intelligence funds allocated to the Office of the President. </p><p>The issue was raised in the interview after it was noted that the President’s office receives billions of pesos in confidential and intelligence funds.</p><p>Hontiveros said there is precedent for greater disclosure, including within the Senate.</p><p>“May precedent na there can always be a practice of full disclosure, particular sa Senado, pati ng confidential funds ng Office of the President,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/8/11/marcos-admin-proposes-p10-77-billion-confidential-intel-funds-in-2027-budget-1928">Marcos admin proposes P10.77 billion confidential, intel funds in 2027 budget</a></div><p>She argued that senior government officials should not receive greater protection from scrutiny simply because of their position.</p><p>“Para pati o lalo na ang mga mataas at mas mataas ang posisyon mo, mas accountable ka, hindi less accountable,” Hontiveros said.</p><p>“Mas mataas ang posisyon, mas malaki ang fund, mas accountable,” she added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ACOSTA’S TESTIMONY</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Hontiveros also weighed in on the testimony of Gina Acosta, a former Office of the Vice President official who testified in the impeachment trial regarding the disbursement of confidential funds.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/24/acosta-says-she-relied-on-lachica-documents-to-verify-ovp-confidential-fund-use-1309">Acosta says she relied on Lachica, documents to verify OVP confidential fund use</a></div><p>According to Hontiveros, Acosta indicated that she would bear responsibility for the confidential funds if the Senate or other authorities eventually found that there were problems with their accounting or use. </p><p>“Ang concern ko sa kanya na sana maging fair siya sa sarili niya at maging fair sa kanya kung ano man ang kalalabasan nitong trial na ito,” Hontiveros said.</p><p>She said Acosta, in effect, told the impeachment court that she was the accountable officer.</p><p>“Parang sabi niya, sasaluhin niya ang consequences. In effect, inangkin niya,” Hontiveros said.</p><p>Hontiveros said Acosta’s testimony also raised a question about individuals allegedly involved in implementing projects funded through the confidential fund.</p><p>Acosta had testified that she turned over money to another official who, according to her testimony, knew how to implement the projects.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘REVISIT THE SYSTEM’</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The senator said the ongoing proceedings should provide lawmakers with lessons on how confidential and intelligence funds are approved and monitored.</p><p>She also cited former Senate President Franklin Drilon’s recent comments about his own role in approving budgets containing such funds.</p><p>According to Hontiveros, more senators are now recognizing the need to revisit the system.</p><p>“Dapat mas i-restrict talaga ang confidential and intelligence funds,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/24/ovp-s-acosta-grilled-on-davao-city-confidential-funds-1100">OVP&#x27;s Acosta grilled on Davao City confidential funds</a></div><div><strong><br/></strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y1o4jDimhVc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-KNXFmSw5wI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The senator said the controversy should prompt lawmakers to look beyond the Vice President’s office and examine how confidential and intelligence funds are allocated, used, and audited across government.</p>

The senator said the controversy should prompt lawmakers to look beyond the Vice President’s office and examine how confidential and intelligence funds are allocated, used, and audited across government.

'Revisit the system': Hontiveros seeks tighter rules on confidential, intel funds

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'Revisit the system': Hontiveros seeks tighter rules on confidential, intel funds

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 25, 2026 11:40 AM PHT

Read More:

Confidential funds

Risa Hontiveros

Gina Acosta

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