President Duterte signs into law the 2021 national budget in a ceremony in Malacañang attended by several members of the Senate and the House of Representatives. (Photo from Senator Bong Go)
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte trampled on the oversight duty of Congress when he vetoed a national budget provision that would require the submission of reports to the legislature on the use of intelligence funds, a lawmaker said Wednesday.
In a statement, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Ferdinand Gaite said he is now studying the possibility of going to court to challenge the President’s veto on intelligence funds report to Congress.
“As it is we are studying going to court to challenge the veto on intel funds report to Congress,” Gaite, who is a member of the Makabayan bloc, said.
Another option, he said, could be for Congress to override the chief executive’s veto of the provision.
“This may be a long shot but still possible,” Gaite added. “Every peso in that fund should be held accountable.”
According to Gaite, the President’s veto of the provision may be unconstitutional and “fuels doubts that these funds would be used against the opposition in preparation for the coming elections.”
“Essentially, Pres. Duterte is trampling on the oversight duty of Congress to know where its approved budget coming from taxpayers’ money go. Tungkulin ng Congress na tumindig kasi siya yung may power of the purse. Kailangan niyang i-ensure na ang pondo ay nagagamit wisely,” he said.
(It’s the duty of Congress to look into this because it has the power of the purse. Congress needs to ensure that the funds are spent wisely.)
“Hindi rin pwede balewalain ang checks and balance sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno, kung di daig pa na naging doormat ang Kongreso at gagawin na lang ng Malacañang kung ano gusto nito lalo pa at malapit na ang eleksyon,” he added.
(Checks and balances in the government should also not be set aside or else Congress will just be a doormat and Malacañang can just do whatever it pleases, especially now that the elections are coming.)
In the Senate, opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan likewise thumbed down the President’s veto on the said provision.
“Kung walang reporting, paano na ang accounting o pagtitiyak sa tamang paggastos sa bilyon bilyong pisong halaga ng pondo ng gobyerno?” Pangilinan said in a message to reporters.
(If there’s no reporting, how can we account and ensure that the billions in government funds are being used properly?)