MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Thursday, December 21, denied it had any hand in the bugdet cuts and zero allocations for districts of some opposition lawmakers for 2018.

“We had nothing to do with whatever decision both houses of Congress had on the alleged deprivation of projects as far as opposition congressmen are concerned,” said Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque during a press briefing.

He said questions on the budget reductions must be addressed to the House of Representatives and the Senate as they had crafted the 2018 General Appropriations Act.

“It’s not a decision that we make because all public funds must be supported by an expenditure law. So it’s not for us, a decision for the Executive to make, it’s a decision that Congress makes,” said Roque.

President Rodrigo Duterte, however, signed the budget into law last Tuesday, vetoing some line items, which Malacañang said were just minor. Copies of the signed 2018 GAA have yet to be distributed to the media.

Duterte’s spokesman also said Malacañang could no longer do anything about the zero budget allocations.

“We can’t do anything about it because of the separation of powers. That’s something that Congress alone can decide,” he said.

The budget cuts affected opposition legislators, including Liberal Party lawmakers, and non-LP members who are part of the majority, such as Davao Del Norte 2nd district Representative Antonio Floirendo Jr and Ilocos Norte 2nd District Representative Imelda Marcos. 

Several legislators cried foul, accusing House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of using the budget to silence dissent in the lower chamber. Floirendo, embroiled in a spat with Alvarez, claimed Alvarez cut his district’s budget for political revenge.

Alvarez defended this move, saying the funds were reallocated for full tuition subsidy in state colleges and universities and for the salary increases for uniformed personnel “who are on the frontlines of the government’s war against terrorism and criminality.”

The two budget items have to do with major promises of President Rodrigo Duterte. – Rappler.com