THE House of Representatives has adopted a resolution urging President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider the appointment of Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno amid the controversies hounding the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
House Resolution No. 2365, introduced by Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, was adopted after Diokno appeared before the House during the so-called Question Hour to answer questions about the proposed 2019 budget.
The House of Representatives, in its Question Hour on Tuesday, December 11, quizzed Diokno over the supposed P51-billion insertions in the 2019 budget and his alleged links to the billions of pesos worth of infrastructure projects in Sorsogon.
Sorsogon Vice Governor Ester Hamor and Casiguran Mayor Edwin Hamor are the parents-in-law of Diokno’s daughter.
The House also questioned Diokno over the supposed large-scale scam involving the DBM and Bulacan-based contractor CT Leoncio. The said contractor as alleged by Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. in an earlier privilege speech has cornered multi-billion-peso worth of projects in Sorsogon and Catanduanes.
The said contractor also has been awarded government projects in Iloilo City, Sarangani, Quezon province, Marinduque, Cebu, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Batangas, Subic, Bulacan, Davao City, Makati City and Ilocos Norte.
According to HR No. 2365, “during the question hour, the issue on the augmentation in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highway without the DPWH Secretary’s knowledge and consent remains unresolved.”
The resolution also states that the supposed insertions in the 2019 budget if proven are illegal as these “bypassed” the authority of the president.
Diokno during the Question Hour denied that there are insertions in the 2019 budget. He said the DBM “augmented” the DPWH’s budget to heed the request of the administration for an increase in the infrastructure appropriation.
Diokno explained that the DBM initially requested for a budget of P652 billion for 2019 but the administration approved only P480 billion but since the administration wants higher infrastructure budget, the DBM added P75 billion to the DPWH’s funding.
He also said the President was informed about these additional funds inserted in the DPWH budget, contrary to the claims of lawmakers.
The resolution also states that Diokno was not able to explain how one sole proprietorship construction company CT Leoncio was able to obtain numerous projects from the government in Sorsogon, amounting to billions of pesos.
“Whereas, there are doubts as to the secretary’s integrity and use of his position accomodating and merging family with public interests,” the resolution reads.
Andaya, in an interview earlier in the day, advised Duterte to talk to Diokno amid the anomalies behind the national budget.
“Siguro mensahe ko na lang sa ating Presidente na kausapin ninyo po ang inyong DBM Secretary dahil baka po ihulog kayo sa bangin niyan. Nangyari na po iyan sa dati niyang boss,” Andaya said in a press conference on Wednesday, December 12.
Andaya cited the importance of good working relationship between officials of government institutions.
“Ang importante sa gobyerno lalo na sa ating sistema ay maganda iyong relasyon ng iba-ibang institusyon. Ngayon kung magkakaroon ng lamat iyan ay baka maging balakid pa iyon,” he said.
Andaya also said the House of Representatives is willing to heed the request of Diokno for a extension of the Congress’ session for the budget.
“Unang-una, game kami. If he wants to call a special session and the President calls for it, call kami dun. Pero magpapasalamat din kami kay Sec. Diokno nun dahil ‘di namin siya kailangan i-subpoena dahil nandun na siya,” he said.
Minority Leader Suarez, during the weekly press conference of the minority bloc on Wednesday called for the resignation of Diokno.
“Kung ako siya magre-resign na 'ko. If I'm sec Diokno, with the revelations, ethics decide, delicadeza decides,” Suarez said.
The minority bloc likewise said they will support the extension of the session for the proposed 2019 budget. (SunStar Philippines)