Gatchalian: Ask signatories about alleged blank items in budget report
![“The only people who can say that it’s authentic are the people who signed it.”Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian had this to say on Wednesday.](https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/files/2024/12/893672-e1733415884912.jpeg)
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — “The only people who can say that it’s authentic are the people who signed it.”
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian had this to say on Wednesday when he was asked to comment on the alleged blank items in the 2025 bicameral conference committee report for the 2025 national funding.
In a press conference, Gatchalian said it would be better to ask lawmakers whose signatures were seen in the circulating report.
“I did not sign there. Apparently, the senators did not sign there either,” said Gatchalian in Filipino.
“So it’s better to just ask those who signed there. Because that’s definitely not from the Senate, the way I understand it, because the senators don’t have signatures. It is better to ask those who signed there, because they are the ones who signed, they must have seen what they saw,” he added.
Article continues after this advertisementMarikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo earlier confirmed that there were blank items in the bicameral conference committee report on the 2025 national budget, but she clarified these were only for the final computation of the amendments made.
In relation to this, Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab and former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez filed a petition before the Supreme Court, specifically questioning the alleged blank items in the 2025 budget plan.