Palace distances itself from move to cut opposition solons' budget
December 21, 2017 | 10:12am
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in a press conference at the International Media Center on the final day of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s participation in the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Da Nang City, Vietnam on Nov. 11, 2017. Albert Alcain/Presidential Photo
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang Thursday distanced itself from the decision of congressional leaders to remove the funding for the projects of lawmakers who are critical of the Duterte administration.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman has criticized the administration for supposedly deleting the projects proposed by opposition lawmakers in next year’s P3.767 trillion budget.
He said the move was intended to punish and silence opposition legislators “even as it is their constituencies who are deprived of the benefits of infrastructure development.”
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the executive branch had nothing to do with the removal of the budget of the projects of minority lawmakers.
“There is separation of powers. Congress has exclusive and primary jurisdiction in the preparation and approval of the budget,” Roque said in a press briefing.
“We had nothing to do with whatever decision both houses of Congress had on the alleged deprivation of projects as far as opposition congressmen are concerned. That’s something that should be addressed to the leadership of both houses of Congress,” he added.
Roque said Malacañang could not do anything about the budget realignments because lawmakers are the ones who make decisions on the General Appropriations Act.
“Since it’s not our business, we do not know if it’s true. Number two, even if it’s true, we can’t do anything about it because of the separation of powers. That’s something that Congress alone can decide,” the presidential spokesman said.
“It’s not a decision that we make because all public funds must be supported by an expenditure law. So it’s not for us, a decision for the Executive to make, it’s a decision that Congress makes,” he added.
Duterte signed the 2018 budget into law last Tuesday, an outlay that he said would help address poverty and promote economic growth.
He said next year’s budget, which is 12 percent higher than this year’s outlay, would primarily support infrastructure development, free education in state universities and colleges, universal health care, free irrigation, and the maintenance of peace and order across the country.
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