Press Release
November 16, 2017

Drilon wants tokhang, intel funds go to PNP housing

Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon has proposed to realign some P1.414 billion anti-illegal drug campaign budget to build more housing units for personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Drilon made the proposal during the interpellation of the P170.99 billion budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), including the P131.5 billion budget of the PNP for 2018.

"Since the PNP is no longer involved in the anti-illegal drug campaign, we will propose an amendment to realign approximately P1.4 billion to increase the housing budget for PNP personnel," Drilon said.

Last October, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to be the "sole agency" in charge of the anti-illegal drug campaign.

The P1.414 billion is sourced from the PNP's Oplan Double Barrel/Tokhang amounting P900 million, the DILG's Masa-Masid program amounting P500 million, and the Anti-Illegal Drugs Information System amounting P14 million.

The PNP's housing backlog is 10,300 housing units but only about 450 units will be constructed for the PNP for 2018, noted Drilon, saying the proposal is inadequate.

Drilon's proposal would mean additional 2,376 housing units for the PNP personnel in 2018 on top of the 450 units being proposed under next year's budget.

Aside from Tokhang funds, Drilon is also looking to realign a portion of the intelligence funds, which tripled under the 2018 budget from P306 million in 2016 to P969 million in 2018, to the housing program for the PNP.

"We will propose that a good part of this intelligence fund be channeled to the housing of the rank and file and uniformed personnel of the PNP instead," Drilon said.

"Maawa naman po tayo sa ating kapulisan. Siguro naman yung ibang pangangailangan, pwedeng matugunan doon sa ibang budget ng pamahalaan," he added.

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