House never rejected 2019 budget — Andaya

Majority Floor Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said the House of Representatives never rejected Malacañang’s proposed 2019 budget, downplaying claims of a gridlock between the executive and the legislative branches of government.

“There is no stalemate, there is no rejection. No budget has been sent back. Walang ganoon,” Andaya said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

Andaya also said while the backlash from lawmakers against the country’s economic managers could not be avoided, the House, as an institution, has not rejected the budget.

“It’s natural, you know, you have almost 300 members coming up with one singular voice, it’s natural na lalabas at lalabas talaga ‘yon,” he explained.

“Unlike the Senate, they are 24 and hindi naman lahat interesado. Dito (House), lahat magsasalita eh,”  he added.

The House hearings on the budget were indefinitely suspended because of an issue on the cash-based budgeting system that Department of Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno is proposing.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said they are alarmed over the incident as it has not happened in the past two years of the Duterte administration.

He also questioned the House’s alliance with the president, although he said that he respects the institution’s independence.

READ: Palace ‘alarmed’ over suspension of House budget hearings

However, Andaya that he and Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were in a meeting on Tuesday night with President Rodrigo Duterte and Special Assistant to the President Bong Go.

During the meeting, Duterte vowed to discuss the matter with Diokno and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez.

“I think the President has opened the lines of communication for a possible agreement on how the budget for 2019 will be executed and how it will come out from the House of Representatives,” Andaya said.

“The President committed to talk to him (Diokno) today,” he added.   /vvp