Manila Bulletin
Envoy says EU undertaking 'sophisticated checking' on how financial aid are being used
Envoy says EU undertaking 'sophisticated checking' on how financial aid are being used
Envoy says EU undertaking 'sophisticated checking' on how financial aid are being used
By CJ Juntereal
Published Aug 27, 2019 04:02 pm
By Roy Mabasa
Outgoing European Union (EU) Ambassador to Manila Franz Jessen on Tuesday said the EU could be accused of violating its very own institution and legal framework if it is seen - in any way or form - supporting the Communist Party of the Philippines (CCP).
European Union ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen
(European Union in the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) In a media roundtable conference, Jessen said the EU was using a sophisticated system to check on how their money was being spent by non-government organizations (NGOs) that were selected for certain EU-funded projects. “It should be very clear that we would never do that because it will be against our own institution and legal framework,” he said, noting that the CPP has for, some time, been on their list of terror organizations. Jessen made these remarks when asked about the progress of the investigation it conducted concerning allegations made by the Philippine government that the multi-million Euro EU funds were finding their way into the coffers different leftist organizations in the country. ‘We check the requirements before we support any NGO. We also have sophisticated checking on how the money is being spent,” he stressed. As to the possibility that the EU may be unknowingly funding these pro-CCP leftist groups, Jessen explained they only have 10 contracts every year with Philippine-based NGOs, which he finds “quite manageable” in terms of monitoring. It was learned that the EU has already audited the NGOs that were referred to by the Philippine government with alleged link to the Communist group. “In terms of spending, we are fine. In terms of objective, the (Philippine) government and us, we share completely the same objective. We don’t want to support an organization where we would be violating our own (legislation),” Jessen said. So far, the EU’s top diplomat in Manila said their dialogue with the Philippine government has been “constructive” as they continue to receive new information which he described as “always helpful”. “We have been in dialogue with the government where we answered a lot of questions and as we move forward, we’ll answer more questions,” he said. Last March, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it has taken steps to stop the EU’s multi-million Euro funding for a number of left-leaning organizations in the country and even called for a thorough review of projects that supposedly went to “Communist fronts.”
European Union ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen(European Union in the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) In a media roundtable conference, Jessen said the EU was using a sophisticated system to check on how their money was being spent by non-government organizations (NGOs) that were selected for certain EU-funded projects. “It should be very clear that we would never do that because it will be against our own institution and legal framework,” he said, noting that the CPP has for, some time, been on their list of terror organizations. Jessen made these remarks when asked about the progress of the investigation it conducted concerning allegations made by the Philippine government that the multi-million Euro EU funds were finding their way into the coffers different leftist organizations in the country. ‘We check the requirements before we support any NGO. We also have sophisticated checking on how the money is being spent,” he stressed. As to the possibility that the EU may be unknowingly funding these pro-CCP leftist groups, Jessen explained they only have 10 contracts every year with Philippine-based NGOs, which he finds “quite manageable” in terms of monitoring. It was learned that the EU has already audited the NGOs that were referred to by the Philippine government with alleged link to the Communist group. “In terms of spending, we are fine. In terms of objective, the (Philippine) government and us, we share completely the same objective. We don’t want to support an organization where we would be violating our own (legislation),” Jessen said. So far, the EU’s top diplomat in Manila said their dialogue with the Philippine government has been “constructive” as they continue to receive new information which he described as “always helpful”. “We have been in dialogue with the government where we answered a lot of questions and as we move forward, we’ll answer more questions,” he said. Last March, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it has taken steps to stop the EU’s multi-million Euro funding for a number of left-leaning organizations in the country and even called for a thorough review of projects that supposedly went to “Communist fronts.”