Cabinet slams House ‘disrespect’ toward Benjamin Diokno

MANILA, Philippines — Cabinet secretaries defended yesterday embattled Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and slammed lawmakers for asking President Duterte to fire the budget chief for allegedly putting insertions in the 2019 national budget.

The secretaries said that the call of members of the House of Representatives for Diokno to be ousted is a violation of the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branch of government.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and Bases Conversion and Development Authority president Vivencio Dizon issued separate statements of support for Diokno to the Office of the President through Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

“We, the undersigned, have witnessed the disrespect and utter lack of courtesy displayed by members of the House of Representatives towards Department of Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno,” the secretaries said.

“The congressional resolution urging your reconsideration of the DBM secretary’s appointment is a sheer violation of the separation of powers on the basis of a seemingly biased and hastily called ‘Question Hour’,” they added.

The President backs the statement of support of his Cabinet members for Diokno, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said yesterday at a press briefing in Malacañang.

“As we have repeatedly said, while we respect the independence of each branch, it’s elementary that these branches must accord respect to each other. The golden rule always applies – what you do not want others to do to you, do not do unto them,” Panelo said, reading from the joint statement.

He indicated that Malacañang may stop Cabinet members from facing Congress if the disrespect persisted.

Panelo had earlier said that Diokno still has the trust of the President and that the budget chief should remain at his post despite the demands by some lawmakers that he be dismissed.

The Cabinet members have formally transmitted to the President their separate statements of support through Medialdea.

Diokno was called on Tuesday for a “Question Hour” at the House, where he was grilled regarding the supposed “insertions” in the 2019 proposed national budget.

“To use the congressional process to bombard Secretary Diokno with pre-considered questions and answers in aid not of legislation but of persecution and excoriating him with baseless allegations is a mockery of standard democratic procedures,” the Cabinet secretaries said.

“The fact that the resolution was swiftly approved and submitted the day after indicates that the series of facts was politically motivated and reeks of power play and ill purpose,” they said.

Diokno has maintained that the P75-billion adjustment made in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2019 should not be called an “insertion” as it is part of the budget process.

The budget chief also denied allegations that he abused his powers to favor contractors and select local government units, emphasizing that the DBM is not in charge of implementing projects and awarding government contracts.

The Cabinet members said they have also examined the records and concluded that Diokno’s actions have been legitimate and in the interest of the nation.

“We believe and vouch for Sec. Diokno’s honesty, integrity and competence. We continue to stand by him and trust your wisdom,” they said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra yesterday said that while he has no full information on the allegations of budget insertions made against Diokno, he continues to believe in his competence and integrity.

“As Secretary of Justice, I urge everyone concerned to know all the facts and seek the truth before passing judgment on anyone. Until then, my belief in the competence and integrity of Secretary Diokno remains unshattered,” Guevarra said. 

The personnel of the Department of Budget and Management have expressed support for Diokno and condemned all accusations made against the DBM chief.

Sen. Sonny Angara, chairman of the ways and means committee, described Diokno as a man of integrity and that was also how other people who have worked with him in academe regard him.

“If the President decides that Secretary Diokno stays because he continues to enjoy his trust and confidence, so be it,” Angara said.

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on finance, said Diokno’s competence was “unquestionable.”

“I firmly believe in Secretary Diokno’s integrity and in his capability to carry out reforms and introduce programs that would ensure equitable, inclusive, resilient and sustainable growth for our country. He has my full support,” Legarda said in a statement.

Diokno told: Resign

House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. yesterday renewed his call for Diokno to resign for “inserting” P75 billion in the 2019 budget allegedly without President Duterte’s knowledge.

Andaya reiterated his appeal a day after the President, in a speech in Las Piñas City, said he had nothing to do with any appropriation or project in the national budget.

“The message of President Duterte is loud and clear: identification of projects and disbursement of budget allocations is the work of his Cabinet. He is not in any way involved in this process. The President’s statements speak volumes. Those who hide behind the mantle of the presidency, invokes his name for actions he knew nothing of, withhold information from him, should take the cue,” the House leader said.

He quoted the President: “I tell you now again and again, there is no document or documents involving money, public or private projects, and everything. It does not reach my table either in the office or in my house. It begins and starts with a Cabinet member.”

On Wednesday, shortly before adjourning its session for one month for the Christmas and New Year holidays, the House adopted a resolution urging the President to “reconsider” his appointment of Diokno as his budget secretary.

Minority Leader Danilo Suarez authored the resolution.

Andaya, who was budget secretary when Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was president, had accused Diokno of making insertions amounting to nearly P52 billion in next year’s budget of the DPWH.

But the budget secretary, answering questions during the House Question Hour on Tuesday, said the amount added to the DPWH was actually P75 billion. 

He later described it in an interview with reporters as an “adjustment, not insertion.”

Diokno said his department is allowed to make adjustments or changes while it is putting together the national budget, in the same manner that Congress possesses the same authority while it is considering the spending bill.

Andaya insisted on calling the amount an insertion, since the DPWH did not request for it and Diokno does not have the technical qualification to draw up a list of roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects that would be funded in the 2019 outlay.

Andaya said Bulacan-based single proprietorship CT Leoncio Construction and Trading, which cornered at least P2 billion worth of projects in Sorsogon, is the “suspected favored contractor” of the budget secretary.

Diokno has denied knowing the firm’s owner or favoring it.

Andaya has vowed to expose other funding anomalies in Sorsogon and other provinces where CT Leoncio has bagged contracts.

The House is scheduled to hold a hearing in Naga City on Jan. 3.  –  With Jess Diaz, Evelyn Macairan, Paolo Romero, Christina Mendez