Lacson hopeful PRRD will veto ‘realignments’ in 2019 budget

Lacson, however, said that he would still leave it up to Duterte to exercise his line-item veto power under the Constitution (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA — Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday hoped that President Rodrigo Duterte will veto the supposed “unconstitutional” post-ratification realignments in the proposed 2019 national budget.

In a news conference, Lacson said he is “banking on the commitment” of the President that he will never sign anything that is illegal or unconstitutional.

“To be honest about it, yes. We’re confident, at least kami sa Senate, ibi-veto niya ang sinabi namin. ‘Di ito plucked from thin air na veto niyo ito kasi ito ang mali ito. No. Kaya ganoon kakapal ang attachment ni SP [Senate President] Sotto, gusto namin kumpleto anginformation, di ang kulang-kulang (We’re confident, at least for us in the Senate, that he will veto these realignments. These provisions that we want to be vetoed were not plucked from thin air. No. That’s why SP Sotto’s attached annotation that contains complete information regarding these [unconstitutional realignments]),” Lacson said.

Lacson, however, said that he would still leave it up to Duterte to exercise his line-item veto power under the Constitution.

“Definitely we’ll respect that because that’s within his authority but it will not prevent us, me particularly, to question. Dahil kung pork at naaprubahan at na-implement, sayang ang pondo (Because if these pork allocations are approved and implemented, then public funds would be wasted),” Lacson said.

Sotto, in signing the budget bill, has earlier expressed “strong reservations” over the PHP75 billion worth of programs or projects under the Local Infrastructure Program of the Department of Public Works and Highways, which were funded through “internal realignments” made by the House of Representatives.

Sotto’s signing of the budget measure has the support of both the minority and majority blocs.

Sotto said the realigned cuts were sourced from the DPWH’s appropriations for its Organizational Outcome 1 (asset preservation program, network development program and bridge program) and Organizational Outcome 2 (flood management program and convergence and support program).

He suggested to the President to consider disapproving these unconstitutional realignments pursuant to his constitutional power to veto particular items in the General Appropriations Act.