Jonvic declines P500-M intel fund

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla disclosed Monday he declined a P500-million intelligence fund for his office.

Upon noticing the item, Remulla said he told DILG officials to remove it from their 2026 budget proposal.

“I refuse to get anything that is not in the President’s NEP (National Expenditure Program),” Remulla said in Filipino and English.

He said another item he noticed in the budget was the allocation of about P1 billion for light amphibious vehicles intended for Region 5.

“All of this is not needed by the department. Mostly we’re just doing office work,” he said, noting the influence of some lobbyists on his agency.

He likened the vehicles to the P8 billion worth of firearms that were allegedly tucked into the 2026 budget of the PNP — unnecessary.