Co, other solons dispute VP Sara’s claim of 2 execs controlling budget

Photo from House of Representatives of the Philippines’ Facebook page. August 28, 2024

MANILA, Philippines – Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co and other House of Representatives lawmakers have disputed Vice President Sara Duterte’s claims that only two officials control the national budget, noting that decisions come from a collegial body.

Instead, Co said on Tuesday that Duterte’s statements are nothing but another scam attempt, which he believes Filipinos would not fall for.

“Unang-una, again pangbubudol na naman po yan. Napakalaking pambubudol, akala nila ang taumbayan hindi matalino, matalino po at sasagutin po natin yan.  Unang-una po ang miyembro po ng appropriations is around 139, ang vice-chair po is around 56, ang Congressman po is 300,” Co told reporters in an ambush interview after the committee on appropriations deferred discussions on the Office of the Vice President (OVP) proposed budget.

(First, this is just another scam attempt.  It’s a big scam attempt, they think the people are not smart, but they are thinking individuals.  First, the number of members of the appropriations panel is around 139, the vice-chair is around 56, and the Congressman are over 300.)

“Mayroon po tayong mga Senador na 24, mayroon pong miyembro ng bicameral conference committee after the budget deliberation ng House and Senate, mayroon pa pong bicam na mag-uusap ang dalawang- upper chamber and lower chamber almost 30 po ang nag-aattend diyan in public,” he added.

(We have 24 Senators, there are members of the bicameral conference committee which is convened after the budget deliberation ng House and Senate, we have a bicam where the two chambers talk together, and almost 30 lawmakers attend that in public.)

According to Co, they will have a meeting to discuss the fate of the OVP budget, as neither Duterte nor any representative from their office attended the hearing.

“So, hindi po totoo iyan, kung nagagawa niya po iyan sa Davao, sa confidential fund na lustayin in 11 days, na ang P2.6 o ang P2.9 billion kayang-kaya niya din po yang gawin kapag siya po ang naka-upo at ang kanyang mga pananakot sa aming mga Kongresista, hindi na po ito dapat palagpasin,” Co claimed.

(So, that’s not true, if she can do that in Davao, to spend the confidential funds in just 11 days, or the P2.6 billion or P2.9 billion, she can also do that if she has a position and she can threaten us lawmakers, but this should not be allowed.)

“‘Yon lang po, mamaya magpeprepare kami- magmimeeting po kami ng Appro, we will have a more detailed for this answer,” he added.

(So that’s it, later we would prepare — we would have a meeting with the appropriations members, we will have a more detailed explanation for this answer.)

Duterte in an interview on Monday claimed that only two individuals control the crafting of the proposed budget — Co, who heads the House committee on appropriations, and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

The Vice President also said that she is not a brat, saying that such labels are just part of attacks from political opponents and critics.

READ: Sara Duterte: I’m not a brat, solons just don’t like my answers 

But Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong — sponsor of the OVP’s proposed budget — said that such a claim is misplaced because the National Expenditures Program (NEP) which contains the budget allocations originate from the executive, and not from the House or Romualdez and Co.

“Just to to set the record straight, and this is not to side with either of the two, Madam Chair, it is unfair to say the least, and a misplaced […] argument to put it that way, because we know that the budget is prepared by the executive branch.  Before it lands on our doorstep, the executive in each agency proposes their budget to the DBCC (Development Budget Coordination Committee),” Adiong said.

“They would have to defend that, and all the budgets that have been approved, many of them, many of the agency’s initial budget are not in toto reflected in the NEP that is being submitted to us, it’s defended by these agencies.  So in terms of preparation, no member of this House is involved in the determination of the funds,” he added.

The OVP was supposed to be present at the House committee on appropriations hearing on Tuesday, as deliberations on their proposed 2025 budget last August 27 were deferred due to Duterte not directly answering lawmakers’ questions.

READ: OVP budget deferred after Duterte evades questions at House hearing 

However, neither Duterte nor any representative from the OVP were present to address the questions, with the Vice President opting to send a letter to Romualdez and Co to inform them that OVP has already submitted necessary documents to the House panel.

READ: VP Sara skips House hearing on 2025 OVP budget, sends letter instead 

House members have condemned Duterte for her absence, with Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante saying that not even the country’s second-highest official can insult the Congress.

READ: Sara Duterte told: Even if you’re VP, you can’t insult House 

Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe also believes these statements from Duterte are just squid tactics — agreeing with observations from Minority lawmakers particularly ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro — that the Vice President is allegedly using smokescreens to deflect issues.