Malacañang said yesterday that President Duterte is carefully combing through the General Appropriations Bill for 2019 and he will exercise his veto powers if it turns out to be anomalous.
Duterte has threatened to veto the entire P3.757-trillion GAB if certain provisions are deemed unlawful.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that Duterte’s remarks which stemmed from the serious accusations hurled by the House of Representatives and Senate against each other is an assurance to the public that the Office of the President is exercising utmost care in the review and evaluation of the GAB.
“It is poring over the details of the document and checking which items therein may be constitutionally infirm or legally unacceptable pursuant to the President’s power and duty to ensure that the law is enforced and the Constitution is free from any violation,” he said.
“As a lawyer and strict enforcer of the rule of law, the President treads cautiously in performing his constitutional duty making sure that before he inks his signature to the document, the latter does not violate our Constitution, as well as related jurisprudence on the matter,” he added.
The Palace official assured that Duterte’s economic managers are prepared for any effects a possible veto of the entire budget may have in the country’s economy.
“As to the possible repercussion on the economy of a re-enacted budget, our economic managers have contingency plans prepared, responsive to any conceivable event, and they will correspondingly adjust their targets, which include the execution of programs and projects relating to infrastructure as well as the delivery of basic services to the people,” Panelo said.
“While we are very eager and devoted to implement policies that will benefit Filipinos, this administration is equally committed to being a stickler for the rule of law,” he added.
Duterte said he will not hesitate to veto the entire 2019 national budget if he finds that there are problematic provisions there that would be deemed unconstitutional. “Pagka talagang tagilid ‘yan, I will outright veto the entire budget,” Duterte threatened.
“Eh hindi magkasundo ang Congress pati ang Senado eh, pati yung mga insertions diyan titignan ko. Pagka tagilid talaga, I will not hesitate to veto the entire budget. Eh ‘di pasensya tayong lahat,” he said. (Argyll Geducos)
