by Azer Parrocha/PNA
President Rodrigo R. Duterte will act as “moderator” when the two chambers of Congress will meet with him to “settle differences” regarding issues hounding the proposed PHP3.757-trillion national budget on Tuesday night.
The meeting will take place a day after the President warned that operating on a reenacted budget would slow down the country’s growth rate and that he would not sign any ‘illegal document”.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President will listen to “both sides” while they discuss their disagreements on the budget bill.
“The style of the President, he listens and they let the protagonist settle among themselves kumbaga moderator lang siya (it’s like he’ll act as moderator). Makikinig lang siya (He’ll just listen). He may have brought the two together so that they can talk and discuss,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
“A lawyer will always listen to both sides. He has to listen. Siguro (Perhaps) that’s why they’re meeting tonight. Both sides will be articulating their legal views on the matter,” he added.
Panelo said that although the final arbiter of any legal issue will be the Supreme Court, he hoped the two chambers settle it among themselves.
“The goal of all branches of government is to unite and have as a goal the welfare of the people. We hope for the best,” Panelo said.
Panelo, meanwhile, explained that when the President mentioned his refusal to sign any “illegal document”, he could be referring to any document prohibited under the Constitution, including the budget bill.
“It could also mean you settle your differences together so that we can have a new budget. I understand they will have a meeting tonight, maybe that’s the agenda — for them to thresh out whatever differences that they have,” Panelo said.
Panelo emphasized that while the Senate and the House of Representatives have different views on whether tinkering with the budget bill after ratification of the bicam report is illegal or not, they both had their fair points.
“Hati ang mga abogado diyan e. Puwedeng illegal, puwedeng hindi kasi ang point nila is since wala pang enrolled bill, how can it be illegal (Lawyers are torn on that issue. It could be illegal, it could be legal because the House’s point is there’s no enrolled bill yet so how can it be illegal)?” Panelo said.
“Ang sabi naman nila, since tapos na sa bicam e di any alignment or tinkering would be illegal. Parang both sides puwede e. Kaya nga sabi ko i-settle niyo na lang ‘yan e (The Senate is saying that since the bicam is over, any alignment or tinkering would be illegal. Both sides can be correct. That’s why I’m saying, they should just settle the issue),” he added.
Expected to meet with the President are Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate finance committee chair Loren Legarda, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senator Gringo Honasan and Senator Panfilo Lacson.
Also invited to the meeting are Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and House appropriations committee chairman Rolando Andaya Jr.
President Duterte earlier cautioned against prolonging the passage of the 2019 budget since all Filipinos will suffer from the declining gross domestic product (GDP) rate.
“It will decrease our GDP. Alam ninyo ‘yan e wala tayong pera panggastos to move on (You know, we won’t have money to move on). It’s everyday income that we expect so ‘yun ang pinagdedebatihan (it’s being debated on),” PRRD said during the awarding ceremony for the Outstanding Women in Law Enforcement and National Security of the Philippines at the Heroes Hall in Malacañan Palace on Monday night.
