Jinggoy pulls out of budget bicam panel

Senator Jinggoy Estrada has withdrawn his membership from the bicameral conference committee that will reconcile the disagreeing provisions of the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026.

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri informed the Senate plenary that Estrada had requested to be removed from the committee. Estrada did not give any reason for his decision.

“He asked to be withdrawn as a member of the bicam,” Zubiri said.

Estrada was among the senators earlier designated to represent the chamber in the bicameral conference committee meetings.

Dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways district engineer Henry Alcantara earlier tagged Estrada as one of the senators who allegedly acted as supposed “proponents” of anomalous flood control projects funded through budget insertions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

Under the scheme, the so-called proponents allegedly received kickbacks of up to 25 percent of a project’s cost, with many of these project items later turning out to be either "ghost" or substandard.

The other designated bicam members are Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Mark Villar, Pia Cayetano, JV Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Raffy Tulfo, Camille Villar, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go, and Imee Marcos.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the designated bicam members are the chairperson and vice chairpersons of the Senate finance committee.

“It is incumbent upon the Senate President to designate the chairman and the vice chairmen of the Committee on Finance,” Sotto said. “At this point, one of the vice chairmen is withdrawing.”

The Senate approved on third and final reading the proposed 2026 national budget on Tuesday, December 11.

With this approval, senators and House members are set to meet from December 11 to 13 to settle the differing provisions in their respective versions of the spending plan.

The signing of the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is targeted for December 29.

Earlier, Sotto said senators would insist on livestreaming the bicameral conference committee hearings, amid reported opposition from some members of the House of Representatives.—MCG, GMA Integrated News