pork as Du3O reviews budget the budget after ratification by during the break and allocated resentative Villafuerte was allo- caflang last week after ly DJ Yap sations about the "unconstitu- tional amendments" that sup- Congress, supporting an allega- to other districts, particularly to cated P2.7 bitlion by the Previ- of delay resulting from a dis EdeejayapINQ agreement between the sena posedly benefited districts of tion earlier made by senators. those of favored lawmakers," ous House leadership. Of this \s President Duterte reviews their alties at the expense of Villafuerte said. amount, P1.2 billion was includ- tors and House members he 2019 budget, a row is sim- their other colleagues for politi- 'Illegally r€aligned' Majority Leader Fredenil ed in the P7s-billion insertion the postratification changes "[Official] records would Castro pushed back, charging by the former DBM (Depart- made by the House, which some nering in the ranks of the cal reasons. {ouse of Representatives over Camarines Sur Rep. Luis show that over Pgo billion in Villafuerte was only making ment of Budget Managementl of the senators, including Sen. he distribution of P9o billion in Raymund Villafuerte Jr., a vice public works and health funds noise because the House leader- boqs (Beniamin Diokno), which Panfilo Lacson, branded as )ork allegedly diverted by the chair of the House appropria- for programs under the ratified ship diverted funds that would congressmen questioned and pork. have gone to Villafuerte's dis- opposed during the budget de- The Senate leadership, un- eaders to their allies in the tions panel, accused his peers lceneral Appropriations Billl :hamber. led by his political nemesis, fel- 2019 that were originally in- trict and put the moneY else- liberation," Casffo said. der Dressure from President The P3.8-tdllion spending Over the weekend, House eaders traded barbs and accu- low Camarines Sur Rep. Rolan- do Andaya Jr., of tinkedng with tended for Imore thanl 80 dis- tricts were illegally realigned where. "Based on our records, ReP- bill was transmitted to Mala- 31il:[;,,"':?i'Jl1',""',':: fi \ +rtntlr P^Q-€'i Nvy'i PAGG Pln -. -z (r) Respondirig on sun(ray-
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chameleoh like him "First, as I said, mY dis- trict deserYes such funds as THOERS these were legit projects un- der the lnational expenditure pro$aml that President FEUD llUER Duterte submitted to the Congress- after his third lstate of the Nation]. There P0ll.B PllRK was nothing hankY PankY aboutthis," he said.
'Fake 2019 budget'
"Representative Castro should be reminded that it get but expressed "strong is the House leadershiP that reservations" against the had tried to pull a fast one House amendments, Particu- on our people by initiaUy larly on public works and submitting a fake 2019 bud- .health funding that was to go get to the Palace," Villa- to certain districts. fuerte said. Senate President Vicente Andaya earlier said the Sotto III signed and endorsed House leadership made the the bilt with an advice to the changes to make the budget President to veto a Portion of "equitable" to all regardless the budget containing the ofpolitical affiliation or their House realignments. vote on key legislation. Denying the senators' Sour grapes claim that the House amend- It appeared that the Prob- ments were basically Pork' lem had been resolved until \Andaya said the chamber on- Villafuerte spoke out last ly itemized lump-sum aPPro- week d.gainst the House lead- priations in the budget, a role ership's actions, saying they he said Congress was autho- "had illegally realigned Pub- dzed to pedorm. lic worts and other Program In a 2013 ruling, the funds for the benefit of [se- Supreme Court defined Pork lectedl congresslmen]." as "lump-sum, disiretionary But Castro suggested it funds primarily intended for wasjustsour grapes. local projects, and utilized "We can no longer allow through the respective Partici- the old practice of t]re Previ- pations of the Iegislative and ous House leadership, which executive branches of govem- dispenses progrdms and Pro- ment, including its members." iects based on loyalties and The tribunal struck down votes on legislative mea- all iterations of Pork including sures. That was the reason "all informal practices of simi- why there were zero Elloca- Iar import and effect, which tion for several congression- the court similarly deems to al districts before," Castro be acts of grave abuse of dis- said. cretion amounting to .lack or Besides Villafu erte, "more excess of jurisdiction." than two dozen select con- On Saturday, House gressmen were also allocated members were informed that huge allocations ranging from Mr. Duterte would sign the P3 biUionto PSbillionPer dis- budgetbill this week, accord- fiict by the previous trlouse ing to Zambales ReP. cheryl leaders," Castro said, refer-. Deloso-Montalla. dng to former Speaker Panta- "We were given advice leon Alvarez and his allies. that any time soon, the Presi- r rhlr PA+€' dent lwould sign] it," Montal- la said. INQ