House of Representatives Spokesperson Challenges Senate President
House of Representatives spokesperson Princess Abante openly questioned Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s habit of blaming the House whenever he faces criticism. This reaction comes amid the recent controversies involving alleged budget insertions in the 2025 national budget.
During a press encounter, Abante addressed Escudero’s remarks accusing the House of orchestrating a “demolition job” related to the multibillion-peso insertions. Instead of deflecting blame, she urged Escudero to confront the issue directly.
“Why blame us? Why are we at fault? The question is directed at Senate President Chiz—why throw it back at us?” Abante asked. She added in Filipino, “Bakit tuwing may pumupuna sa kanya, ang itina-ere niya ay kilay sa House? Siguro mas mabuting sagutin na lang niya ang tanong.”
Budget Insertion Allegations Stir Controversy
Escudero came under scrutiny after leaked documents revealed that he allegedly inserted P142.7 billion into the 2025 national budget during the bicameral conference committee deliberations just before Congress ratified it. These documents, shared with local fact-checkers and later made public, raised questions about who decided the allocation of these substantial flood control funds.
In his defense, Escudero denied these claims, stating he only proposed budget adjustments for Sorsogon that did not total anywhere near P9 billion. Additionally, he faced questions about a November 2024 visit to the House premises, a point Abante said should be clarified rather than used as a diversion.
“As for me personally, I don’t know about the CCTV issue. I wasn’t part of the House then, so I can’t comment. But maybe the question should be: why was he there? If this is about the bicam, the Speaker didn’t even interfere with the bicam process,” she explained in Filipino.
Calls for Budget Transparency Grow Louder
Concerns over budget transparency have intensified, especially after Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab and former President Rodrigo Duterte criticized lawmakers for leaving blanks in line-item allocations within the approved budget bill. This lack of clarity has prompted calls for reform.
Meanwhile, former appropriations senior vice chair and ex-Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo defended the bicameral report, clarifying that the so-called blank items already had precise figures. She explained that blanks were left only for final calculations and that the Senate committee on finance’s technical staff prepared the final budget version.
Senator Panfilo Lacson further raised alarms by warning that funds allocated for flood control efforts may have been lost to corruption. He pointed out that nearly P2 trillion earmarked for flood mitigation since 2011 remains largely unaccounted for.
President Marcos Sets Firm Budget Conditions
During his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cautioned Congress that he would reject any national budget proposal misaligned with his administration’s priorities. He specifically highlighted flood control issues, stating he would return any General Appropriations Bill not consistent with the National Expenditures Program—even if that leads to a reenacted budget.
Recurring Senate-House Tensions
This is not the first time Escudero has shifted blame toward the House. In June, following accusations that he violated the Constitution by delaying Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, he countered by accusing lawmakers of blindly following Speaker Martin Romualdez and being overly aggressive.
Escudero stated that while House members might follow Romualdez’s lead, it is not his role as Senate President to do the same. On the other hand, House lawmakers insisted they were simply responding to public demand for Duterte’s impeachment.
For more news and updates on budget controversies, visit Filipinokami.com.
