SENATOR Risa Hontiverios said that President Rodrigo Duterte should sign the 2019 General Appropriations Act so that government projects for this year would be funded immediately.

“The 2019 budget is now in the hands of the President after it was approved by the bicameral committee and ratified by Congress,” Hontiveros said in a press conference in Silay City over the weekend.

Hontiveros was one of the guests at the Kadalag-an Festival of Victorias City.

Hontiveros also expressed fears that the budget would be used in the coming May 13 elections.

The delay of the budget approval was due to the bickering of the senators and the congressmen over the issue on pork barrel and budget insertions.

“The bicam is done so the President can make a line item veto for those items (he doesn’t approve of) like the pork barrel that he thinks is improper. We need funds for the projects of the government in 2019,” Hontiveros pointed out.

The senator also condemned the naming of the so-called narco-politicians.

“From the start of this violent war against drugs and Duterte's (revelation of the)narco-list, I have always questioned the quality of the case work that has gone into the list. Where did the data come from? Was it really validated by the law enforcement authorities?” Hontiveros lamented.

She said that even the police said that at a certain point, they don't know where the president got his list.

“The issue on the principle of presumption of innocence, and most of all the due process... Right now, it's the period of the election campaign. It could be politicized. The list could just be used,” said Hontiveros.

Aside from that, the danger of the narco-list is that it could set up some people to harassment or even violence especially those whose guilt are not yet proven, she continued.

“Right now, there are more important and urgent issues faced by the Filipinos and that this narco-list could just distract the Filipinos,” Hontiveros also said.

Among the most important issues at hand, said Hontiveros, is the drought, which is affecting 33 provinces. The water issues and other economic issues like the high prices of goods and services, lack of jobs, lack of livelihood and income need immediate action from the President. (TDE)