Intelligence funds should be given only to the line agencies involved in intelligence work because they have the needed training to use such funds, former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed Monday.
Lacson, in an interview on DZBB’s “Ikaw Na Ba? The Senatorial Interviews,” said other agencies that need intelligence inputs or information may tap the services of these agencies.
“I think intelligence funds should be given to the intelligence community. Line agencies needing intelligence information can tap them because they do not have the needed training to conduct intelligence operations,” he said in Filipino.
Related: Ping Lacson: Intel Funds, sa Ahensyang May Mandato Lamang
He said the agencies that are mandated to conduct intelligence work include the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the Philippine National Police Intelligence Group, among others.
The Office of the President may also handle intelligence funds to augment the intelligence units’ needs, he added.
As a senator, Lacson questioned and blocked the allocation of intelligence funds in the budget to agencies not involved in intelligence, such as the Philippine Racing Commission.
Lacson, who worked in the intelligence community during his law enforcement career, also noted the temptations of huge confidential funds – a “command reserve” of as much as P100 million when he became chief of the Philippine National Police in 1999. Lacson ordered 85 percent of this fund downloaded to the frontline units, and only 15 percent for headquarters.
On the other hand, Lacson said the intelligence funds, like all other public funds, are auditable. He likened intelligence funds to a cash advance for paying informants – but once a special or fraud audit is made, the funds must be accounted for through receipts, vouchers and other verifiable documents.
“In the meantime, the information is to be kept in a sealed envelope and made public once the intelligence project is declassified. And the disclosure of the informants must be subject to certain conditions so long as these will not risk the life of the informant,” he said.
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Ping Lacson: Intel Funds, sa Ahensyang May Mandato Lamang
Ang mga ahensya lang na may mandatong gumawa ng intelligence work ang dapat mabigyan ng intelligence funds dahil sila lang ang may pagsasanay na gamitin ito, ayon kay dating Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Lunes.
Sa panayam sa “Ikaw Na Ba? The Senatorial Interviews” ng DZBB, iginiit ni Lacson na ang ibang tanggapang nangangailangan ng intelligence inputs o information ay maaaring mag-tap ng serbisyo ng mga ahensyang ito.
“Sa aking pananaw, dapat ang intelligence funds, ibigay natin sa members ng intelligence community. Ang line agencies na nangangailangan ng intelligence input o information, i-tap na lang nila ang intelligence units para supply-an sila ng intelligence na kailangan nila kasi wala silang training para magsagawa ng intelligence projects or operations so sayang ang pondo,” ani Lacson.
Ayon kay Lacson, kabilang sa mga ahensyang may mandatong gumawa ng intelligence work ay ang Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, at Philippine National Police Intelligence Group.
Maaaring bigyan din ng intelligence funds ang Office of the President para madagdagan ang pangangailangan ng mga intelligence unit, dagdag niya.
Bilang senador, kinwestyon at hinarang ni Lacson ang intelligence funds sa pambansang budget para sa ahensyang walang mandatong gumawa ng intelligence work, tulad ng Philippine Racing Commission.
Dagdag ni Lacson, na nagtrabaho sa intelligence community nang law enforcer siya, malaki ang tukso ng malaking confidential funds. Nang naing Philippine National Police chief siya noong 1999, napag-alaman niya na may “command reserve” na umabot ng P100 milyon. Iniutos niya na i-download ang 85 porsyento nito sa frontline units, at 15 porsyento sa headquarters.
Samantala, giniit ni Lacson na ang intelligence fund, tulad ng lahat na public fund, ay “auditable.” Aniya, para itong cash advance para sa pagbayad ng impormante – nguni’t pag nagkaroon ng special o fraud audit, dapat ma-account ang pondong ito sa pamamagitan ng resibo, voucher, at ibang verifiable documents.
“Pero in the meantime naka-sealed envelope at ito ay gagawin lang na public or pwede i-disclose kung declassified na ang intelligence project. Tapos na, naganap na at pwede nang ma-disclose sino ang informants, subject to certain conditions. Basta iniintindi natin dito walang involved na risk of life sa mga impormante,” ani Lacson.
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