/PNA
MANILA — Although confident that the Congress would eventually resolve its impasse on the 2019 national budget, Malacañang expressed hope that the country would no longer have to operate on a reenacted budget until August.
“Yeah, that’s the ideal,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in reaction to the statement made by Senator Panfilo Lacson that the government may continue to operate on a reenacted budget until August due to alleged manipulations made by the House leadership.
Lacson earlier said Senate President Vicente Sotto III may not sign the enrolled copy of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) since the House leadership had allegedly been making last-minute amendments to the measure.
Panelo said that he was sure the House of Representatives and Senate would “agree” to settle issues concerning the GAB.
“I’m sure they will be agreeing eventually kung ano iyong dapat nilang gawin (what they need to do). All of them naman are concerned about the welfare of the country,” Panelo said.
If he were to make an “educated guess”, Panelo said President Rodrigo R. Duterte himself might even persuade the two houses of Congress to finalize the GAB.
“Kung (If) I will have my educated guess – the President will persuade para matapos na iyang ano nila, kung anuman (so that they will finish what they started),” Panelo said.
“But knowing members of Congress, they always naman agree eventually, ‘di ba (right)?” he added.
Panelo, meanwhile, reiterated that the President will exercise his power to veto the GAB if he feels that indeed the 2019 budget to be given to him does not conform to the Constitution.
“He (Duterte) will examine the provisions of the budget. And if he feels it does not conform, he will do exactly what he has to do,” Panelo said.
Asked if Duterte would also ask Congress to do away with amendments to the GAB, Panelo said it would be the President’s call.
“It’s the President’s call. But as far as I know, he’ll just wait for the enrolled bill to be submitted to him,” Panelo said.
On March 5, House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo denied Lacson’s claim of manipulation on the proposed 2019 budget.
Speaking to Arroyo over the phone, Panelo cited Arroyo as saying that she did not introduce changes on the ratified bicameral report contrary to Lacson’s claim.
