Since tS83

malayanews@yahoo.com www.malaya.com.ph WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 2OAg

Sotto signs budget bill 'with reservations'

BY RAYIIIOND AFRIGA
iENATE President Vicente Sotto
II yesterday decided to.break the
,udget impasse by signing the
iencral Appropriations Bill but
larified he did so with "sffong
eservations,"
lle also appealed to President
)utcrte to veto the "unconstitu-
onal" ptovisions.
"W'e are informing you that I
ave alteady signed the entolled
opy, It is now going to be an
nrolled bill to be signed by the
tesident but I placed my teser-
ltioos on the signature. I have
incolporated a note that says my
signature is in reference to my at-
tached annotations," Sotto said in
hastily called press confetence at
the Senate.
In attendance duting the press
conference wete Senate majodty
leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate
minority leader Franklin Drilon,
and Sen. Panfrlo Lacson.
Sotto said he decided to sgn the
GAB so as not hold hostage the
whole proposed P3.767-trillion
.budget for 2019 because only
two to dree percent of the entire
budget is being questioned by the
Senate-
He said it is now up to the by dre Housc t>f fuprcscntativcs propriat.ions Bill," he said. night.
Executive Department to identifi' after the bicamcral comrnittee Sotto said he came to a decision The GAB was tra"flsmittc(l t{, the
"pork ' allocations which could be ratiEed the budgct bill, including to sign the GAB on the advice of Malacaflang beforc noon yct I c r.r Lty.
vetoed by the President. the realignmcnt of somc P75 bil- Senators Ddlon, Lacson, Zubiri. "The bottom line is I signfll rhe
In a letter sent to Presidentr lion rvorth of projects uutlcr thc Ralph Recto, Gregorio Honasan, narional budget as no crrr.rrllctl bill
Duterte to explain his resewations, local infrastructurc progtam of and Loren Legarda who talked to to be presented to rhc Prclirlcnt
the Department of Public \?<rrks
Softo said he attests to the veracity him Monday night. but attesting t() ooly lhc (:(xltcflts
the (rl.lD
of Inc
or GAB w'rucn wat ntified
which wap Dy
fauaeo by
and Highways.
Htghways. Upon Sotto's apptoval, Lacson of what ve have ratificd lurl what
the bicameral conferer{ce commir- He said the P75 billion tcaligned called up Rep. Rona.ldo Zaraoa on we have agreed upon duriog rhe
tee last February 8. appropriations form part of the Monday night to inform Speaker bicam," Sotto said.
"My atrcstation is lmited only Loral of P95 billion worth ,rf re- Gloria Arroyo of the senators' Sotto said the Senate has dc t uilcd
to those items approved by the alignments. coosensus to and request-the realigned appropriations frrr the
bicameral conference comtnittee 'The President may wish to con- House to send back to the Sen- President to scrutinize.
and ratified by both house of sider disapproving these unconsti- ate *re budget booLs the House Drilon said dris is the 6rst tirne
Congress," Sotto said. tutional realignments, pu$uant to retdeved last sreek. in the history of the country rhat
He said he views as "uncon- his constitutional power to veto The budget books were sent
stitutional" all realignments done particuldr items in the Genetal Ap- back to the Senate also Monday See SOfiO ) lhj{r Il3

SOTTO sign the GAB but it does not sel Salvadot Panelo said President Panelo also said Malacaiang I

a Senate president srgned the GAB
vith teservations. It is also the 6rst
time that a bicameral-approved
GAB was amended.
'\X4rat the Senate president said
was pirmahan niya ang GAB pero
hindi ibig sabihin na sumasang-
ayon ang Senado dito sa ginawang
pagbabago ng House (I.re would
mean that the Senate agrees to
the changes made by the House)
after the ratification of the bicam
repoit because we maintain the
view that this is unconstitutional,
but we must find a solution to
the impasse in the budget and
serve the interestof the nation,"
Dtilon said.
Chief Presidential Legal Coun-
Duterte would review the budget
bill before deciding to sign ir into
law or exercise his right to l.ine veto,
or veto it completely.
Panelq concurrent presidential
spokesman, said he does not know
how long the Presideflt will study
the GAB but "if it is consistent
with the Constitution, he will
slgn it."
is happy that tl-re Senate and the
House of Representatives finally
setded tl.reir differdnces,
Government has been operat-
ing on a reacted budget since
Januaty because of allegations and
counter-allegations of insetions
and realignments exchanged by
the Senate and the Ho:use.
-With
Jocebn Montct taJ,ol

I Trec,dr PAW tl
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