MALACAÑANG on Thursday, December 21, distanced itself from the reported measly budget allocations for infrastructure projects of opposition congressmen.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the executive department did not have a hand in slashing the budget for proposed projects of opposition lawmakers.
He said the Palace respects the separation of powers of each government branch.
"There is separation of powers. Congress has exclusive and primary jurisdiction in the preparation and approval of the budget," Roque said.
"We had nothing to do with whatever decision both houses of Congress had on the alleged deprivation of projects, as far as opposition congressmen are concerned. That's something that should be addressed to the leadership of both houses of Congress," he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, December 19, signed the General Appropriations Act of 2018, which allocates P3.767-trillion for government's operations next year.
The 2018 budget is 12.4 percent higher than the P3.35-trillion budget for this year.
On Wednesday, December 20, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, leader of the seven-man independent opposition faction "Magnificent 7," cried foul over the government's supposed stripping of 24 opposition lawmakers of annual budget for their infrastructure projects.
Lagman claimed that zero allocations were meant to "punish and silence opposition legislators."
Roque stressed that the cuts in opposition lawmakers' funds were a decision of Congress.
"It's not a decision that we make because all public funds must be supported by an expenditure law. So it's not for us -- a decision for the executive to make. It's a decision that Congress makes," Roque said.
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno denied Wednesday that there would be zero budget for opposition lawmakers' projects. He, however, admitted that political allies of the Duterte administration would get a priority in budget allocations.
Earlier Thursday, December 21, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said the funds slashed from opposition congressmen were realigned for free education of state universities and colleges' students, as well as for the salary increase of military.
"I wish to emphasize that the funds slashed from some projects of the opposition and even those in the supermajority have been reallocated to free college education in state universities and colleges and to augment the salaries and benefits of our men and women in uniform who are in the front lines of the government's war against terrorism and criminality," he said. (SunStar Philippines)