Lacson says Arroyo may face raps over ‘falsified’ 2019 budget

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JAM STA. ROSA

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may be charged for signing the “falsified” version of the proposed 2019 national budget, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson insisted that the changes made by the House of Representatives in the ratified budget bill were in violation of the Constitution.

The printed copy of the modified appropriation measure was signed by Arroyo and transmitted to the Senate for signature.

Once signed by the Speaker and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, the measure will then be transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.

But Lacson said they advised Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III against signing the House version of the budget bill.

“Huwag nila kaming pilitin na mag violate ng Constitution. Huwag nila kaming isama kung gusto nila mag-violate,” he said in an interview at the Senate.

“In fact, since Speaker Arroyo already signed the House version of the enrolled bill, she’s already prone to being charged for falsification because she has already certified on something that did not take place.”

The senator pointed out that the modified House version was different from the budget bill that was ratified by the Senate and the House last February 8.

The ratified bill has not been transmitted to Duterte since it was ratified by Congress.

Lacson said Arroyo committed a crime of falsification even if the proposed 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA) was not yet signed by the President.

“Hindi consummated yung GAA but the act of falsifying or signing a falsified document is already consummated so any taxpayer can already go to the Ombudsman or the DOJ (Department of Justice) to file a criminal complaint against her for falsification,” he pointed out.

Sotto, Arroyo and Lacson were all present when the Senate and House leadership met with Duterte Tuesday night to discuss the budget impasse.

But Lacson said Arroyo was “quiet all the time.”

“It was all Nonoy Andaya. In fact, nobody else spoke except Nonoy Andaya,” the senator said, referring to House appropriations committee chair Rolando Andaya.

Also present at the meeting were Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senators Loren Legarda and Gringo Honasan, among others .

But Zubiri said no consensus was reached during the meeting. /cbb

READ: No consensus yet on 2019 budget despite meeting with Duterte