Hindi umano masyadong kontrobersiyal ang 2024 national budget kaya kumpiyansa si Senador Joseph Victor Ejercito na hindi ive-veto ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr ang ilang probisyon ng General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
“Confident naman kami na wala naman sigurong mave-veto and the controversial na funds like CIF, confidential and intelligence funds, were now solely allotted to national security agencies,” pahayag ni Ejercito sa isang forum sa Senado.
Ang tinutukoy ni Ejercito, vice-chairman ng Senate finance committee, ay ang Department of National Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police at Department of Justice.
“All the civilian agencies that were asking, nilagay na lang sa line item. ‘Di naman binawas sa department, but it was now instead allotted to line-item budget items,” ani Ejercito.
“So, at least medyo nawala na ang controversial CIF funds that the civilian agencies were asking for,” dagdag pa niya. (Dindo Matining)
