Malacañang has made more obvious its game plan — to have a new parliament by hook or by crook by July and a new Constitution in place — by having this year’s proposed national budget deliberately stalled to pave the way for its reenactment, effectively ensuring much-needed funding requirements in having the 1987 Charter amended.
Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., finance committee chairman, during an interview, yesterday said this is clearly the plot hatched by the executive department and its congressional allies in having the proposed P1.05-trillion budget approved by the House of Representatives early morning yesterday, the last day of session before Congress goes on a five-week Lenten recess.
“I don’t believe in coincidence. Why approve it, have it turned over to the (Senate finance) committee on the last day of session? So technically, we can’t touch it (while it’s still not here in the Senate). And the only way to have it approved is by holding a special session,” the senator said even as he ruled out the possibility of special sessions mandated by laws to be called only by the Chief Executive, noting that President Arroyo is obviously against the passage of the budget.
“The mere fact that they gave me the budget today (April 5), means they don’t want to pass it. We have four weeks left before we go on the next round of regular sessions. There is no way in the world that they want this passed because it will take us four weeks to debate on it…they sat on it for eight months,” Villar noted.
The Arroyo admin loves them reenacted budgets, don't they?
More from Malaya's Editorial.
Plus: House massive ‘insertions’ in ‘06 budget possible
Fears that massive insertions have been made by the House leadership in the national budget were yesterday raised by Senate Minority Floor Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., given the delay in its approval at the House of Representatives’ level and limited time now confronting the Senate for its passage.
The opposition leader urged his colleagues not to fall prey to pressure in having the House-approved P1.05-trillion budget enacted into law just so it could be passed as he raised the possibility that there could be “hidden items” that may have been inserted by their House counterparts.
As such, Pimentel said, careful scrutiny should be observed by senators in reviewing the measure to prevent the national funds from being misused.
He added it would be advisable for the Senate finance committee to conduct hearings during the recess after the Holy Week to offset the delay in the submission of the bill to the chamber.
Pimentel said he has advised his staff to secure a copy of the House-approved budget bill and scrutinize the measure while Congress is in recess.
The House approved on third and final reading the budget only on the eve of the adjournment of Congress last Wednesday for the Lenten break when the original legislative calender for its passage was last October or some eight months ago.
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