The move is seen by Jubahib to affect his peace and order program and the resurgence of insurgency problems. At present the province enjoys an “insurgency-free” status. Bulk of the confidential fund is intended for the peace and order program of the province.
Recently, members of the SP led by Davao del Norte Vice-Governor De Carlo Uy and his political allies Board Members Orly Amit, Shirley Belen Aala, and Emmanuel Pamisaran used a filibuster to block the measure involving the utilization of the confidential fund.
“Sa akong nakita, dako kaayo ni nga problema ang pag cut sa atong Confidential funds kay ang confidential funds gud nato basin wala kini masabti sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan nga ang ilang gisulti Insurgency-Free nata, di na gikinahanglan ang Confidential Funds,” Jubahib said in a statement released by the governor’s Strategic Communication, Publication, and Media Relations Division.
Juhabib described the act as a clear case of “political maneuvering” of his political foes in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in a desperate attempt to make him inutile in the implementation of his Peace and Order program in the province.
Jubahib said he uses confidential funds for "intelligence and confidential expenses" but stressed that he strictly followed the Commission on Audit (COA) guidelines. These funds are meant to be used for local and national security, law enforcement, and other sensitive matters.
The official cited the COA Joint Circular No. 2015-01, which provides guidelines regarding the use of Confidential Fund specifically, among others:
a. purchase of information “necessary for the formulation and implementation of programs…relevant to the national security and peace and order.”
b. payment of rewards to informers, subject to conditions before approval
c. activities to uncover/prevent illegal activities “that pose a clear and present danger to agency personnel/property…done in coordination with the appropriate law enforcement agencies”
“…kini atong ginagamit pang-sustain sa mga ni surrender nga mga New People’s Army, pag dili nato ni ma-sustain sila o di nato matagaag ayuda ug labi na ug di nato sila ma-suportaan sa ilang mga programa nga atong gi endorse sa ilaha, pwedeng mubalik nasab sila sa sabakan sa mga komunista,” Jubahib said.
Jubahib feared a communist resurgence in the province once the provincial government failed to implement the programs and activities related to sustaining the peace and order especially on rebel returnees, and other peace and order initiatives that helped dismantle the New People’s Army (NPA) in the province.
“Gani, nag -ncrease karon ang problema nato karon sa drugs, kinahanglan nato na sa budget sa Peace and Order funds kay dili lang ni insurgency…apil pud ang drugs ug labi na ang criminality ug uban pang intelligence-driven activities sa atong mga military, pulis, ug ubang miyembro sa security sector,” Jubahib further said.
He said that his administration had already submitted to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan the Peace and Order and Public Safety (Pops) plan —a public safety plan required by DILG that contains activities aimed to curb anti-criminality, anti-insurgency, and anti-illegal drugs to ensure peace, order, and public safety.
“Nag-convene ang atong Provincial Peace and Order Council to provide these POPS plan nga ilang gipangayo, gi provide na nato pero ang problema approved na sa PPOC ang POPS plan pero di gihapon sila motuo, di nila e-accept ug di gihapon ma-approve sa ilaha imbis for adoption lang ang ilahang himoon sa POPS plan, karon ila napud i-scrutinize nga ang nagbuhat sa POPS plan during sa Council meeting naa ang mga tanan Generals, Colonel, Pulis, PDEA pati ang mga representative sa mga sector,” he said.
Jubahib reminded provincial legislators that details of the POPS Plan should not be fully disclosed to the public since it is highly confidential and should not be treated as a normal piece of legislation.
He said he would bring the matter to the attention of The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government in Manila to seek executive intervention since the peace and order programs of the province are at stake.
Governor Edwin Jubahib