Duterte reviewing 2019 budget with ‘utmost care’ — Panelo

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) campaign rally at the Plaza Independencia in Cebu City on February 24, 2019. ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

President Rodrigo Duterte is reviewing the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019 with “utmost care,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo assured on Friday, April 12.

The Palace official said this as he noted “serious accusations” hurled by the lower and upper chamber against each other on alleged insertions in the budget.

“It is poring over the details of the document and checking which items therein may be constitutionally infirm or legally unacceptable pursuant to the President’s power and duty to ensure that the law is enforced and the Constitution is free from any violation,” Panelo stressed.

Duterte, on Thursday, said he would not hesitate to veto the entire 2019 national budget if he finds irregularities in it.

“Pagka talagang tagilid ‘yan (If it is really unacceptable), I will outright veto the entire budget. Kaya hindi magkasundo ang Congress pati Senado eh. And ‘yung mga insertions diyan, titingnan ko (That is why the Congress and the Senate cannot agree with each other. And those insertions there, I will look into it),” he said in his speech during his speech in Bacolod City.

Panelo, who is also the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, explained that Duterte, as a lawyer and strict enforcer of the rule of law, has to make sure that before he signs any document, the latter must not violate the 1987 Constitution and “related jurisprudence on the matter.”

He added that the country’s economic managers are also prepared to address the possible effects on the Philippine economy if ever the President decided to veto the budget.

“Our economic managers have contingency plans prepared, responsive to any conceivable event, and they will correspondingly adjust their targets, which include the execution of programs and projects relating to infrastructure as well as the delivery of basic services to the people,” he said.

The Palace initially announced on Wednesday that the President will do the ceremonial signing of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2019 on April 15, Monday. However, it took it back the following day, saying that Duterte might sign the budget after the Holy Week instead.

[READ: 2019 national budget may be signed after Holy Week — Palace]