lacson d la ing budge

'Lacson... members identified themselves in the de-

tailed-list of itrfrasttuctu.e proiects also
Perconolvendffia, Frcm A7
funds to the districts ofher House allies even
wo h P21 billion.
Audaya said the House subDitted four
after the P3.8-lrillion budget was passed by books of the 2019 national budeet to the
vs. Speoker bored the bicameml conference c-o--itt.'.

ru By Maricel V. Cruz
'iHe does not want the speaker to be suc-
cessful," Bravo said ofLacson.
Echoing a statement released by House
Palace on Monday through the Dioartment
of Budget and Management.
He said he hoped rhe Senare would sipn

ll and Macon Ramos-Araneta the budget as well.

appropriations committee chairman Ro-
laldo Andaya over the weekend, Bravo
.But Senate Prcsid€nt Vicente Sotto lll
.,', LAWMAKERon said President Rodrigo Dute e could veto
warned again ofa reenacred budger. saving
lhar lhe seoarors insisted on the-versior of
IU . ' i. Monday accused any portion ofthe narional budger he finds the bill ratified by the bicameral confererrce

EB
, ', Senator panfilo
Lacson ofholding the 2019
obiectionable.
Bravo also warned tbat the stand-of over
the budget could stall the adminis&ation,s
committee with no charges.
"The possibility is leally looming now
that it would be reenacted if they will

EEI
nationrl hrrdgef hostage t
put down Speaker Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo.
"Build. Build, Build" infrasrructure prcgam.
to Andaya on Monday said senators failed
to identify themselyes in the itemized list
of projects they endorsed for implementa-
not reluro lo the original budger rhar we
passed," Solto sajd.
He said the rcenacted budget would not
have to be for the etrtire year, because it could

sg5
tion in thefu amendments to the bicameral
conference committee-rarified report on
. "Senator Panfilo Lacson is holding the 2019 geberal appropriations bili,
be changed in July with rhe passage ofa sup-
plemenral budgel for the resl of lhe vear.
Sotto also denied Andaya's claims rhat

o5 the budget bostage because of AndaF said the Seoarf only submitied irs fisr
[a] per_ ofprojects on Feb. ll, 2019 or rhree dars after
sonat vendetta.. lagainstl our speaket,,
said Deputy Minority Leader ani Coop_ both Houxs of Congress ratified Lhis ,vear's
P3.757-trillion narional budget oo Feb. 8.
Natco party-list Rep. Anthony Bravo at
Andaya said as agreed during lhe bicarD-
a news confelence.
eral conference committee meeting. borb
_
"He has nol said anyhing good about the Senate and the House submirted"details
the
_speaker from the very start of hep itemiziog project$ that would be funded by
leadership...and iq fact even before the the lump sum funds afrer the budger was
change ofleadership in Xhe House."
ratified
.
Bravo said Lacson ,\vas seeing He said this did Dor violate the SupreEre
qhostl" when he claimed that Anoy.g Court ruling oD pork barrel, because lhar
firnneled P95 billion in intastuctuG - referred to changes made to the-budget af.
ter the Prcsident had signed it itrto law
Nert page
At the same time. Andaya said tbe Sen-
ate failed ro identify from its submified lisl
ofan estimated P2l billion worth of infra-
" +lsApt t rt/s Aler,Jg,,
slructure funds the DaDes of setrators who
requested the projects.
OD the contrary, Andaya said House
the senators amended the budget after it
was passed by the bicameral conference
committee.
He also denied that the seDators had
parked P25 billion in realigned funds with
the Department of Public'Works and High-
ways.
Sono also said thal ilemizing the lump
sum lunds sbould have been d-one befori
the budget was ratified by the bicameral
conference committee.
Despite the continuing squabbles over
the budget, the palace said it remained
hopeful that the country .vi'ould not be op-
eratidg und€r a rcenacted budget until Au-
gust, which would delay key infrastructure
proiects.
He also said the President wouid not in-
t€rfere in the squabble between the House
and the S€nate. With Nat Mariano