Andaya wants Diokno cited in contempt for skipping probe on DBM savings

House appropriations panel chairperson Camarines Sur Representative Rolando Andaya Jr. wants Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno cited in contempt for hiding behind technicalities in skipping Friday’s committee hearing on the Budget Department’s 2017 and 2018 savings.

Andaya was referring to Diokno’s letter to Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asking for a reset of the hearings, saying that the subpoena ad testificandum issued to him should have been issued three days before under House rules and that DBM was not given enough time to prepare for the hearing.

Andaya, however, argued that Diokno was making excuses and waived the three-day rule by complying with the subpoena duces tecum by submitting the documents on savings of DBM in 2017 (P209 billion) and 2018 (P97 billion).

“Kung sino man nag-advice sa iyo, sablay na naman. [Cited in] contempt ka pa rin. He waived his right to the this three-day rule when he submitted these documents since the questions which will be asked of him is in line with these documents,” Andaya said.

“That [three-day prior rule] is not the point. This is your chance to clear your name, and you are hiding behind technicalities. Kung sa tingin niya wala ng mangyayari rito if the [proposed 2019] budget is passed this afternoon…that this investigation will go away…they are in for a surprise,” he added.

As of posting time, the committee has yet to decide whether to cite Diokno in contempt or not.

‘Chicken out’

Andaya then said Diokno should not chicken out if he has nothing to hide.

“I really do not understand. May franchise ba siya na chicken? Chicken na chicken eh, takot na takot humarap rito,” Andaya said.

“Kung tunay kang lalaki, humarap ka. Hindi 'yung tumatago ka, nahahalatang guilty ka eh,” he added. — RSJ, GMA News