The House Appropriations Committee approved the PHP27.362-billion budget for the Office of the President (OP) with a vote of 56-5, following a motion to terminate the budget hearing out of “institutional and parliamentary courtesy.”
House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan initially moved to end the proceedings, emphasizing the need for clarifications on pressing issues. One key concern was a statement by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who said some House members were attempting to shift blame for corruption and failures onto the executive branch. Bersamin clarified that the statement was not intended to malign the House but to stress institutional separation.
“Any part of that statement is our statement. We will not shirk from that or avoid the impact. But we would like to emphasize today that that statement was more to stress our institutional separation from the House of Representatives,” Bersamin said.
He also confirmed that the OP is preparing an executive order to create an independent body to investigate anomalous flood control projects. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., currently in Cambodia, is expected to provide updates upon his return.
“The objective is to do as he had promised, to come out with an independent commission or body that would continue the inquiry into the issues that were raised in his SONA, as well as in later statements that he made,” Bersamin added. He assured that the executive order would not preempt Congress from conducting its own investigation or passing legislation to create an independent body.
Deputy Speaker and Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy III moved to terminate the budget deliberations, citing tradition and institutional courtesy, while respecting Congress’s constitutional authority to review, amend, or deny any budget item.
The motion was seconded and approved, concluding the budget hearing for the Office of the President.