TUESDAY /APRTL 2,2019
WWW.INQUIRER.NET
Budget
Marbn namos
By
@MRamosINQ
o
The disputes among allies. of
Speaker Gloda .Macapagal-Ar-
royo in the House ofRepresenta-
tives over Pgo billion in pork
proved their "indiscretions" in
arbitradly realigning por'tions of
the P3.8-trillion national budget
after it had been ratified by
Congress, Sen. Panfilo Lacson
said on Monday.
Lacson said the quarrels
could be a blessing in disguise
as it provided President Duterte
clues about entries in the final
version of the 2019 budget that
he shouldveto.
rift proves House indiscretions-Ping
The senator had earlier ac-
cused Arroyo and other House
leaders of unlawfully transfer-
ring the approved allotments for
certain areas to favored legisla-
tive districts without the con-
sent ofthe Senate.
"The infighting brought
about by the 'spoils for the vic-
tors' actually expo.ied the indis-
cretions of the House leader-
ship in whimsically realigning
pork insertions," Lacson told
the Inquirer in a text message.
He seid the battle for pork
not only made the situation
worse for House leaders, it actu-
ally "became uglier."
"On a,positive note, this is
good for us and the Filipino tax-
payers since it could make it
easier for Malacaiang to dis-
cern when the President exer-
cises his line-item vgto authori-
ty," he added.
Favored 80 digtricts
Last week, .Camarines Sur
Rep. Luis Raymund villafuerte
Jr. accused his political rival, fel-
low Camarines Sur Rep. Rolan-
do AndayaJr., ofillegally divert-
ing more than P9o billion in ap-
proved allocations for health
and infrastructure proiects for
over 80 districts to some "fa-
vored lawmakers."
In defending Andaya Majori-
tt
eAe€-At,
A?
ty Leader Fredenil Casto. said Senate and the House were "not projects in tlle budget.
that Villafuerte was iust sour- necessarily" irrelevant since the He urged Mr. Dute'rte to veto
graping after the House leader- President would take into ac- budgetary cuts and realign-
ship decided to reduce the P2.7 count the issues raised by both ments made by the senators.
billion in public works ftlnds pre- "It is the Senate that may
viously earmarked for his districl .chambers. find itselfliable to accusation of
The long delay in the trans- Senate 'sabotaBe' sabotage when it decided, uni-
mittal of the national budget for "[T]hat would be factored in laterally, to cut the allocation
2019 to Malacanang finally end- the considerations of the Presi- for the President's 'Buitd, Build,
ed last week after Senate Presi- dent Iinl signing or vetoing the Build Program' and otherpriori-
dent Vicente Sotto III signed certain provisions of the bud- ty projects," Andaya said.
"with strong reberyations" the get," presidential spokesperson "We are confident that the
conference committee report. Salvador Panelo said. Office of the President would
Sotto urged the President to But Andaya, chair of the consider these items in their re-
reject P75 billion in postratifica- House appropriations committee, view and find ways on how to
tion realignments made by the on Monday said the Senate may restore them in the President's
House leaders. have sabotaged the President's veto message," he added. -wrrx
-
Malacanang on Monday said massive infrastructure program REPORTS FROM DJ YAP AND JgIIE M.
the "intramurals" between the by cutting allocations for priority /IURELIO INQ