Pinuna ni outgoing Budget Sec. Benjamin Diokno ang umuugong na balitang inamiyendahan pa rin umano ni House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ang ni-ratipikahang 2019 national budget.
Sa isang press briefing sinabi ng kalihim na unconstitutional ang ano mang paggalaw sa pambansang pondo na pinagtibay na ng Kongreso at nakahain na para lagdaan ng pangulo.
Maituturing umano itong pag-abuso sa kapangyarihan ng House leadership sakaling totoo ang akusasyon.
“I don’t see any lump-sum items in our budget. I think they are replacing what we put there originally with their own items.”
“Probably, Senator Lacson is correct. That is abuse of discretion,” ani Diokno.
Nauna ng dumepensa si House Committee on Appropriations chair Rolando Andaya Jr. laban sa akusasyon ni Sen. Panfilo Lacson na naglaan umano ng tig-P25 milyong budget si Arroyo sa bawat distrito ng mga kongresistang bumoto sa kanya bilang House Speaker noong nakaraang taon.
“If individual X will simply change the composition of the budget on his own after it has been approved by the joint conference committee and both Houses of Congress, that is unconsitutional.”
Pero ani Diokno, kailangan munang magkasundo ang Senado at Kamara bago mulig galawin ang pinagtibay na budget.
“There is a process. Individual legislators cannot change that. Changes has to be vetted by both House of Congress. That’s the Supreme Court decision,” giit ng Budget chief.
