No Escudero? No problem

Senator Francis Escudero INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The resignation of Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero from the Senate finance committee should have no effect on the passage of the proposed P3 trillion national budget for 2016, the chair of the House appropriations committee said yesterday.

“I don’t think there will be a problem in passing the budget. I believe we can work together with whoever will be the new chair of the Senate finance committee,” said panel chair Isidro Ungab, a Davao City representative.

In a statement, the congressman said the organization of the Senate was only an “internal matter” among senators.

“We are coequal bodies, separate bodies. We are mandated by the Constitution to study, review and scrutinize the budget. The House of Representatives will work with whoever is the replacement of Senator Escudero, so I don’t think there will be problems in passing the budget,” Ungab said.

‘Good partner’

Ungab described Escudero as a “good partner” and for two budgets, he said they were able to work together and were able to deliver.

“We laud Senator Escudero for considering the immediate passage of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) in his decision to resign from his assigned committee,” he said.

“We welcome his replacement and assure them of our cooperation in having to pass the 2016 GAB on time and in ensuring that it will be in accordance with law, rules and Supreme Court rulings on the matter,” said Ungab.

Escudero said he resigned as chair of the Senate finance committee out of “delicadeza” or propriety considering his public pronouncements about a possible run for higher office in 2016.

The resignation came as President Aquino, through Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, submitted the proposed budget to the House leadership.