Malacañang expects ‘smooth sailing’ bicam on 2019 budget

Panelo also expressed hope that lawmakers would set aside their differences and pass the bicam report the soonest time possible. (File Photo: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson/Facebook)

MANILA — Malacañang on Tuesday said it expects the bicameral deliberations on the proposed PHP3.757-trillion national budget for 2019 to be smooth-sailing after the Senate passed its version on Monday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark after Senator Panfilo Lacson predicted a ‘bloody’ bicameral conference committee proceeding on the proposed national annual budget.

“According to them they will pass, according to the Speaker (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) they will pass, according to Senator (Vicente) Sotto it’s the same,” Panelo said in a chance interview after the regular Palace briefing.

Panelo also expressed hope that lawmakers would set aside their differences and pass the bicam report the soonest time possible.

“They are all honorable members of Congress, they know that the passage of the bill will benefit the Filipino people,” Panelo said.

The government has been operating under a reenacted budget since January 1 this year after Congress failed to pass the 2019 national budget on time due to allegations of “pork” insertions.

Panelo also said that the President can always veto provisions in the proposed 2019 budget he does not agree with.

“We submitted a general appropriations bill that’s for them to go over it, approve it, revise it, amend it. The President has veto power. If he doesn’t like it, that’s what he’ll do,” Panelo said.

Panelo, meanwhile, reiterated that Malacañang had nothing to do with the change in House leadership after Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. stepped down as Majority Leader.

Andaya, who is currently leading a congressional inquiry into alleged irregularities in the proposed 2019 national budget, earlier accused Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno of inserting PHP75 billion worth of flood control projects into the 2019 national budget.

The probe has caused a rift between the Executive Branch and Andaya but Diokno has said that President Rodrigo R. Duterte continued to trust him.

Despite this, Panelo said he thinks Andaya “believes in what he was saying on the basis of what he perceives to be right.”

Panelo also asked Andaya to file a case against Diokno if he felt the need to do so.