Senate panel okays DILG, judiciary budgets

The Senate has endorsed the approval of the budgets of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the judiciary following a close scrutiny of the money measures by the senators during marathon hearings on the 2007 budget.

Senate President Manuel Villar said he and his colleagues are doubling efforts to pass the 2007 General Appropriations Act, hopefully by Friday this week.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Calderon hurdled the budget hearings during the plenary session yesterday despite earlier hints by some senators that they would grill the officials over the alleged use of government money in the campaign for Charter change and jueteng.

Also recommended for final approval were the budgets of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Commission on Human Rights.

Puno and Calderon, with a big contingent of police generals and heads of PNP units in tow, were all smiles when Senate finance committee chairman Franklin Drilon recommended the approval of the P50.916-billion DILG budget. — Christina Mendez