Duterte Cabinet members back Diokno amid House call to fire him

FILE: Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno (Photo: Department of Budget and Management/Facebook)

President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet officials on Thursday, December 13, expressed their support to their fellow Cabinet member, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno, as the House of Representatives wants him to be fired.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed that the Cabinet members showed their support to the Budget chief by sending memorandums to the President.

Those who sent one are as follows: Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Bases Conversion and Development Authority President Vivencio Dizon, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, and Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Peña.

The Cabinet executives, in their memo, said they have witnessed the “disrespect and the utter lack of courtesy” shown by the lower chamber towards Diokno.

The lower house earlier adopted House Resolution (HR) 2365, urging the President to remove Diokno as Budget chief over the alleged “insertion” in the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019.

The solons accused Diokno of inserting some P75-billion in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2019 without DPWH Secretary Mark Villar’s knowledge.

The Cabinet officials, however, slammed the resolution, calling it “a sheer violation of the separation of powers.”

“To use the congressional process to bombard Sec. Diokno with pre-considered questions and answers in aid — not of legislation — but of persecution, and excoriating him with baseless allegations is a mockery of standard democratic procedures,” the letter read.

The Cabinet secretaries also stressed that the “swift” approval of the resolution, which was then submitted the day after, only indicates that it was “politically motivated and reeks of power play and ill purpose.”

They added that they “carefully examined” Diokno’s records and concluded that his actions as Budget chief “have all been legitimate and in the interest of the nation.”

The Palace earlier said Diokno still enjoys the trust and confidence of Duterte despite the issues he is facing.

“Secretary Diokno’s record in the government service, to the mind of the Chief Executive and of the rest of his cabinet, is unblemished,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

“As one of the Administration’s economic managers, PRRD considers him as one of the best and brightest in his official family,” he added.

[READ: Diokno still enjoys Duterte’s trust and confidence — Palace]

The DBM also came to the defense of their head, noting that Diokno, who already served three Philippine presidents in the department, has “always upheld the highest standards of integrity, honor, and competence in public service.”