Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. (Photo by CATHY MIRANDA / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — “Sick and tired” of a “pork” allegations, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III now wants a reenacted national budget.
“Considering the numerous allegations being leveled at the 2019 budget both from the HOR (House of Representatives) and the Senate, I will propose to Sen. Loren (Legarda), as chair of the finance committee, to withdraw the Senate GAB version and go for a reenacted budget,” Sotto said in a viber message to reporters on Wednesday.
GAB is General Appropriation Bil, which is now being deliberated at the bicameral conference committee.
“I hope that it will erase all doubts and allegations of pork and other so-called insertions in the budget,” the Senate leader added.
READ: Lacson slams pork insertions by senators
Soto said he would immediately inform Legarda about his proposal.
“We talked earlier and I’m sick and tired of the allegations,” he said.
Sotto gave he assurance that the May 2019 elections will not be affected by the reenacted budget since he said the funding for it was already included in last year’s appropriation.
“The budget for the 2019 elections is in the 2018 budget,” he pointed out.
The government is currently operating based on the 2018 appropriation after Congress failed to approve last year the proposed 2019 national budget. /cbb