Solons puzzled with Senate’s reactions: ‘Ceasefire only a mere lip service’

Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, a lower chamber’s committee member on constitutional amendments, said he is puzzled by the Senate’s recent treatment against the House leadership. (INQUIRER FILES)

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers questioned on Sunday the recent actions of the upper chamber after Senator Imee Marcos said they were unaware of the P26.7 billion Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) line item included in the 2024 budget.

On February 15, Marcos said her and fellow senators’ signatures were placed on the page of the then-proposed 2024 national budget, which contained the provisions for AKAP, even though they were unaware of the contents since it was a House insertion.

In response, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, a lower chamber’s committee member on constitutional amendments, said he is puzzled by the Senate’s recent treatment against the House leadership.

“Nilalaro ba tayo ni Senate President Zubiri? (Is Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri playing us?)” Khonghun asked.

According to the lawmaker, before Marcos’ statement, Zubiri announced that he and House Speaker Martin Romualdez had agreed to end the chambers’ word war and “to work professionally.”

“Yet, on the same day, senators resumed and even intensified their attack on the House by claiming that we inserted a P27-billion ‘ayuda (assistance) to the poor’ in the 2024 national budget for the People’s Initiative campaign,” Khonghun pointed out.

“This latest incident leaves us now wondering: Has the Senate President lost his moral ascendancy to lead the Senate or is he taking us or a ride? Hindi na ba siya pinakikinggan ng mga kapwa niya senador o talagang niloloko niya lang tayong lahat? (Is his fellow senators not listening to him or is he just fooling all of us?)” he lamented.

Khonghun said the House-Senate conference committee reports on this year’s budget “are now out in public,” adding that these documents contain signatures of the members of both chambers.

“These documents contain the signatures of senators and congressmen who approved the report, which was ratified in plenary by both the Senate and the House,” he said, pointing out that Marcos was among those who signed the P26.7-billion AKAP program.

He said the purpose of AKAP is “very clear” in the budget and “is not connected at all with the people’s initiative campaign.”

READ: Senators unaware of P26.7 B AKAP budget insertion – Sen. Imee Marcos 

A ‘mere lip service’

First District of Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman and First District of Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin likewise questioned the leadership of Zubiri as both claimed to have observed “an apparent pattern of what some may call a supposed ‘leadership vacuum’ in the Senate.”

Both lawmakers also called his “ceasefire” only a “mere lip service,” claiming that Marcos is “beyond his power.”

“Here in the House, the rules are clear-cut. The Speaker is in charge. He gives the command. He tells our Rules Committee chairman, Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe: This is our priority. Find a way to have this bill passed,” Roman said.

Garin, on the other hand, urged senators to “walk their talk.”

“Minsan kasi sa Senado mako-confuse ka eh. Kung iyung napag-uusapan ba ay naka-cascade ‘dun sa mga miyembro because that’s how leadership should be,” said Garin, House Deputy Majority Leader.

(Sometimes in the Senate you get confused if what they talk about gets cascaded to other members because that’s how leadership should be.)

READ: Cha-cha ‘word war’ truce forged at JPE birthday bash

“So, maganda iyun na nagkausap na si Speaker at iyung ating Senate President, at nanggaling din naman sa Senado iyung kanilang timeline na by March eh matatapos na ito (charter change). Ang kulang na lang siguro ay to walk the talk,” she said.

(It’s good that Romualdez and Zubiri already talked and the Senate already set a timeline that by March they will end this [charter change].)