/PNA
MANILA — Malacañang on Monday welcomed the decision of the leadership of the House of Representatives to withdraw its own version of the proposed PHP3.757-trillion national budget for 2019.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark after Senator Panfilo Lacson revealed that San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, tasked to negotiate with the Senate on the budget impasse, confirmed the House’s move to him over a phone call.
“If that’s true, that’s good. What is important is, they’re resolving whatever conflict they have,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
Lacson earlier said the House leadership realigned some PHP95.1 billion in the 2019 budget to favored districts.
On March 13, Panelo urged the House and Senate to “break the stalemate” on the proposed 2019 national to allow its scrutiny and eventual signing.
“We call on the Senators and Representatives to break the stalemate and deliver to the Filipino people an appropriations law that can aid this government better their lives and help our country move forward,” Panelo said in a statement.
“There is a budget impasse due to some constitutional questions raised by both chambers. Only Congress can resolve and break this impasse,” he added.
This after some members of the two chambers met President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday night to settle differences on the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said both chambers have not reached a consensus on the budget bill despite the meeting with the President.
According to Sotto, Duterte told lawmakers during the meeting that he will not sign the budget if the Senate President does not sign it.
House Majority Leader Fredenil Castro, for his part, insisted that itemization made by the House on the lump sum appropriations in the ratified bicameral conference committee report on the 2019 budget is legal and constitutional.
Panelo has repeatedly assured 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.
