Blanks

President BBM claims to have pored through the over 4,000-page 2025 GAA and failed to find “those damned blank items.”

This is such a waste of precious presidential time. All the while, he was reading the wrong document. The blanks are not in the GAA. They are in the signed final report of the bicameral conference committee. That report is the basis for the enrolled bill which, when signed, becomes the GAA.

The blank items in the bicam report is the locus of controversy. After so much public debate, we still do not know who filled in the blanks. The debate has evolved into a full-blown constitutionality question before the Supreme Court.

All our legislators have to do is to produce the questioned documents and detail how the process proceeded after a blanks-ridden committee report was signed. They have not done that.

After weeks of scampering from the media, Rep. Stella Quimbo thinks she has found a fitting explanation for the blanks that could no longer be denied – except if you are President of the Republic. Quimbo replaced Zaldy Co as chair of the House Appropriations Committee after the latter was unceremoniously ousted as the debate over the 2025 budget bloomed.

Quimbo now tells us the blanks were filled in by the technical working group of the bicam since this was merely a “calculator activity.” That was as limp an explanation as there ever could be. It reeks of the cavalier attitude some of our legislators hold for the grave mandate they were given.

Critics of the manner are now demanding the names of the technical working group who were supposed to have filled in the blanks. Those names, like many other documents relating to the scandal, remain unavailable to date.

Quimbo’s explanation aged very quickly. It was convincingly taken down by veteran legislator Tito Sotto.

Sotto says some of our legislators “need to undergo parliamentary rules and procedures workshop.” This is a polite way of saying Quimbo and company do not know what they are talking about.

Sotto educates his colleagues in no uncertain terms. “Ministerial corrections by technical staff,” he says, “are never allowed in any bill, much more a law. You bring it back to plenary.”

This is how serious lawmaking should be. Legislation, especially the exercise of power over the purse, cannot be delegated by the elected representatives.

Former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez takes an even sharper view of the matter. He accuses the bicameral conference committee of violating Article 170 of the Revised Penal Code. This particular article imposes a prison sentence for “falsification of legislative documents.” On this basis, Alvarez describes the budget process as “criminal.”

Sotto, in particular, should know whereof he speaks. He served several terms as a legislator, capped by long and respective service as Senate president. He knows the rules.

Credit must be given where it is due. Sotto demonstrates courage by stepping into this debate, bringing to bear his wisdom as a veteran legislator. Being out of office, he could have just kept his peace – especially as he is seeking reelection to the Senate on the administration ticket.

Remember that President BBM has described critics of the 2025 budget as “destabilizers.” By doing so, he makes acquiescence as matter of loyalty.

But there is enough basis for Sotto to be so brave. He stands on his own record as a statesman. Besides, he is rating well in the surveys and recently won the precious endorsement of the One Cebu coalition.

Furthermore, his critical remarks of some of the current crop of legislators reinforces his reputation for independence. This should boost rather than weaken his bid for a seat in the next Senate.

Meanwhile, our most pathetic congressmen threaten to muzzle free speech through legislation penalizing criticism of legislators. They have summoned social media content creators critical of the present Congress to a hearing whose clear objective is to harass and intimidate them.

Sadly, it seems we have a rather degenerate bunch of legislators who see their elected positions as a means to assault the freedom and dignity of others. Public hearings, especially at the House, resemble tyrannical kangaroo courts where legislators flagrantly exterminate civil rights. They are arenas for the abuse of ordinary citizens.

Expect tougher tactics to be employed against those who criticize the irresponsible manner the national budget found its way into law. One particularly deficient congressman accused critics of the last budget process as people merely seeking to restore Sara Duterte’s confidential funds. He forgets that such funds have been withheld from the Vice President and a potential reenactment of the 2024 budget will restore her office nothing.

This intensifying controversy over the 2025 budget is now more than a mere inconvenience for the ruling coalition. It is quickly becoming a quagmire where the more the power-wielders squirm, the faster they sink.

Observe the body language of the culprits. They are becoming more anxious. They are hoping to sweep the budget controversy under the rug.

Observe how the biggest players behind the crafting of this anomalous budget are trying to be invisible. Unfortunately, some of them are too big to hide.

Here is a piece of Stoic wisdom our citizens might partake: “The longer the explanation, the bigger the lie.”

In the coming days, expect more kilometric excuses.