Palace: Duterte still trusts DBM chief Diokno

MANILA, Philippines – Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno still has the trust and support of President Rodrigo Duterte amid allegations of “insertions” in the 2019 national budget, Malacanang said Thursday.

“Oh definitely, there is no doubt about it. We support him,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

“We have not removed our support for Secretary Ben Diokno,” Panelo added.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Thursday welcomed the subpoena from the House of Representatives “to clarify” issues regarding the 2019 national budget.

“We take any subpoena from the House as an opportunity to clarify all these matters not only to the public, but also for the official records of House,” the DBM said in a ststement.

READ: DBM welcomes Diokno subpoena from House

House of Representatives issued a subpoena dated February 6  for Diokno after he continuously snubbed the chamber’s inquiry into issues hounding the 2019 national budget.

Asked about if Diokno would heed the order, Panelo said, “That’s his call.”

“Iyon ang naririnig kong sinasabi niya. Wala siyang sinabing hindi siya a-attend, basta ang sinasabi niya, nagpaliwanag naman na ako,” he said.

(That’s what I heard him say.  He did not say anything about not attending, what he said was he has already explained his side.)/gsg