Brillantes breaks his silence on intel funds
Brillantes wants former colleague to be included in fund probe
(A21)
AFTER previously being mum on the matter, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes yesterday disclosed that they are using their intelligence funds for confidential matters, such as surveillance and securing key witnesses.
In an interview, the poll chief broke his silence after previously refusing to give out details on their use of intelligence funds as questioned by former poll commissioner Gus Lagman and other critics.
“It is used for intelligence, for surveillance, for something confidential… matters that involve security and public interests,” said Brillantes.
Also, the official said the funds are being used to secure witnesses that help them prosecute poll violators, such as the one involved in the electoral sabotage case against former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“We use it for safe houses, which we don’t say where. These operations need funds,” said Brillantes.
In 2012, Brillantes had took under his custody former Maguindanao Provincial Administrator Norie Unas, who became the lone witness of Arroyo’s alleged instructions to then-Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. to rig the results of the 2007 polls.
Last week, Lagman questioned the
Comelec head says ex-poll commissioner Lagman must also be made to explain his own intelligence funds, despite ‘returning them’
PNP chief wants effective prosecution vs. election law violators
presence of intelligence funds allocated for poll commissioners that are without the need to be liquidated, saying he himself had received P1.25 million during his brief stint as poll commissioner from June 2011 to March 2012.
This resulted to questions from different sectors, including their perennial critic, the Automated Election System Watch (AES Watch).
AES Watch believes that it is among the prime targets of alleged spy operations using the intelligence funds of the Comelec.
Brillantes, however, immediately denied such accusations from AES Watch.
“I can guarantee and I can swear to everybody that I am not spying, or investigating the AES Watch,” said Brillantes.
He said that the commission en banc is even prepared in case a full-blown investigation will be called over their “intel- ligence funds.”
“It’s okay if they investigate our intelligence funds. But I think they should include Malacañang since it’s the one that approved it,” said the former poll lawyer.
Brillantes added that in the event of an investigation, Lagman should also be compelled to explain his own intelligence funds, despite supposedly returning them.
“He should also be able to explain what he did to his I.F. I want to know what he did to the money since he did not return the check I gave him. He returned it but using his own check. It means that the money was used already,” said Brillantes.
Meanwhile, PNP Chief Director General Alan Purisima yesterday directed all police offices and units to monitor investigation and case build-up operations on all cases involving violation of election laws.
He said these should include persons arrested for election related violence, and violation of the Comelec-imposed nationwide gunban.
“All arrests made during the election period, at the very least, must result in successful prosecution leading to the conviction of the offender, otherwise, all our efforts shall have been irrelevant,” Purisima told police officers during a Command Conference in Camp Crame. (HDT/Sunnex/PNA)