Andaya to senators: Just tell Duterte what items to veto in 2019 budget bill

The senators are free to tell President Rodrigo Duterte what items he should veto in the proposed 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA) if they still think the House of Representatives made an illegal move of itemizing lump sum funds after the measure has been ratified.

House Committee on Appropriations chair Rolando Andaya made this remark on Sunday amid Senator Panfilo Lacson's insistence that Senate President Vicente Sotto III will not sign an enrolled bill on the national budget for Duterte's signature, resulting in a continuous reenacted budget.

In his statement, Andaya maintained that there is nothing illegal in the House's act of itemizing lump sum funds in the ratified version of the proposed 2019 GAA, as this was made "within the parameters" of the Bicameral Conference Committee report.

Among the funds that the House itemized were the Health Facilities Enhancement Program funds which Lacson said Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo realigned to her allies.

"If the senators really feel that the budget we have ratified is constitutionally-infirm and legally-flawed, then they can tell the President what specific portions and provisions to veto. And we will respect the presidential veto," Andaya said.

Lacson, in an interview on Sunday, warned that a continuous reenacted budget until August this year may happen if the House pushes through with its amendments to the proposed 2019 GAA after it has been ratified.

"All indications point to the country having a reenacted budget at least hanggang Agosto," he said.

"So parang pinaghahandaan na namin na hanggang nandiyan si Speaker Arroyo, at kung titigasan nila 'yung kanilang ginawa na ginalaw nila 'yung napagkaisahan na sa bicameral conference, ay talagang hindi pipirma si Senate President," he added.

But Andaya insisted that the House was only performing its duty to come up with a flawless version of the proposed 2019 GAA.

"Hindi kami natatakot sa isang budget na malinaw kung saang mga lugar at ahensya, at kung anu-ano ang mga proyekto at mga programa ang popondohan," Andaya said.

"Ano ba ang ikinatatakot ng mga senador sa itemized budget? As far as the House is concerned, we have all the records to substantiate our stand and the legal basis, as well as the established traditions and practices to back us up," he added.

Andaya also said that if only a small portion of the budget is being questioned, then it should not compromise the entire appropriations for this year.

"If the contested appropriations represent 2 percent of the national budget, then why should it jeopardize the uncontested 98 percent? Why hostage the national budget over unfounded and unreasonable fear?"

Despite warnings from Lacson, Andaya said the House would print the 2019 GAA so that the public would know where the projects and programs of the government this year would go. —KG, GMA News