Sotto to tackle 2020 budget insertions with Lacson, Avisado

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he would meet with Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado to talk about the alleged last-minute insertions done by the House of Representatives in the proposed 2020 budget.

“We will talk about the budget insertions on Monday [Dec. 16]. We will talk about on Lacson’s discoveries. And if possible, I hope to talk with Secretary Avisado so we can open our eyes to what they had discovered,” Sotto said in Filipino in an interview with AM radio station DWIZ on Saturday.

Lacson on Friday disclosed House insertions, which might reach over P83 billion worth of projects, were discovered before the congressional bicameral conference committee signed the proposed P4.1 trillion worth of budget for 2020.

After the said meeting, Sotto said they would decide what they would do with the insertions.

“It depends on the contents of the insertions. Lacson and I will talk about it and then we can make suggestions perhaps,” Sotto said.

/atm