Suarez on Diokno: ‘Kung ako siya, magreresign na ko’

MANILA, Philippines — House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez on Wednesday hinted that Budget Chief Benjamin Diokno should resign amid allegations he orchestrated the “insertion” of some P75 billion in the proposed 2019 national budget without the President’s knowledge.

READ: Andaya says Diokno behind P75-B insertion in DPWH budget

“Kung ako siya, magreresign na ‘ko (If I were him, I’d resign),” Suarez said in a press conference, referring to Diokno. “Ethics decides, delicadeza decides.”

“Glaring na glaring naman ito (This is glaring)… you can come up with all your excuses but at the end of the day you’re guilty,” he added.

Suarez’s group believes that President Rodrigo Duterte and the Department of Public Works and Highways had no knowledge of the P75 billion “inserted” infrastructure fund in next year’s appropriation, as earlier pointed out by Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr.

District congressmen were also not aware of these funds allotted to their districts, according to Andaya.

“It’s clear now the insertions is not P51 (billion) but P75 (billion). Thank you very much for admitting. P75 billion in public funds in which Public Works (Department) doesn’t have an idea where it came from,” Andaya told Diokno during House’s Question Hour last Tuesday. /ee

READ: Infra ‘insertions’ in 2019 budget P75B, not P51.8B — Diokno

RELATED STORIES:
Andaya bares favored Palace contractor
House to summon ‘favored’ contractor behind multi-billion projects