Andaya renews call for Diokno to attend House probe on alleged budget anomalies

House of Representatives appropriations committee chair Rolando Andaya Jr. on Saturday has reiterated his call for Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno to attend the probe on the alleged anomalies in the budgeting processs amid "recent developments."

In a statement, Andaya said "recent developments" have prompted him to invite Diokno anew as resource person for the next congressional hearing on questionable allocations and anomalous budget practices by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

"Last Thursday, Sec. Mark Villar finally confirmed on record what I have been saying all along, that Sec. Diokno was the mastermind behind the P75-billion insertion in the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) allocations for the proposed 2019 national budget," the lawmaker said.

"Sec. Villar told a multimedia forum that Sec. Diokno did not notify the DPWH about the P75 billion that was added to its budget for 2019," he said.

The House leader, quoting Villar, said that the Public Works chief only found out about the extra funding when the DBM released the National Expenditure Program (NEP), which President Rodrigo Duterte had submitted to the House of Representatives in July 2018.

"Also last week, we got hold of a copy of Sec. Diokno’s letter to Sec. Villar dated June 14, 2018, informing him about the decision of DBM to cut the DPWH’s proposed budget for 2019 from P652 million to P480 million," Andaya said.

"The P480 million, according to Sec. Diokno, is the 'final budget level to be submitted for Congressional review'," he said.

With the "twin developments," the lawmaker emphasized that it was time for the Budget chief to fully explain his role in the alleged "conspiracy" that stalled the congressional deliberations of the 2019 budget.
    
"Hindi na puwedeng magtago si Sec. Diokno. Kailangan na niyang ipaliwanag sa mambabatas at sa publiko kung ano ang puno’t dulo ng mga insertions sa national budget," Andaya said.

The House Appropriations Committee, he said, will give Diokno the proper forum to explain his side on the issue.

"Despite snubbing congressional hearings for three times already, we invited him once again to appear as resource person in the resumption of hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 29," Andaya said.

"Marami siyang dapat ipaliwanag. Who was responsible for the choosing the infrastructure projects listed in the P75-billion insertions? Where are these projects located?  Who encoded the projects that were inserted to the official list submitted by DPWH to DBM?" — Ted Cordero/MDM, GMA News