MANILA, Philippines — The allegation of House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. that the government had failed to allocate funds for the Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscite (BOL) was “misplaced and without basis.”
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo assured the public that “there are funds for the plebiscite.”
“His statement is misplaced and without basis. There are funds for the plebiscite,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
READ: Andaya: Where are funds for Bangsamoro plebiscite?
In his privilege speech on Monday, Andaya wondered how the Commission on Elections (Comelec) would conduct the plebiscite without any appropriation approved by Congress.
“Maybe he was just misinformed, that’s why the basis of his statement is wrong. Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt,” Panelo said.
“First of all, if there’s no fund, then it should have been canceled, right? It should have been reset or postponed. But it’s a go, so definitely there’s a fund for it,” he added. /je