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SENATE President Vicente Sotto 3 rebuked President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday for having “the gall” to pass the blame on to the Senate if Congress does not approve the proposed national budget for 2021 before the end of the year.
Sotto expressed his dismay for Cayetano when he tweeted on Thursday: “What audacity! Passing the blame, it’s unacceptable! “
“They should pass it on to third reading and send it to us before the original agreed date of the break [on] October 17, which is the legislative calendar agreed by both Houses. October 17 is one month away from November 17! “he said in a separate message to reporters.
Cayetano wasted no time in apologizing to Sotto.
“Ngayong tanghali (this noon), I called Senator Sotto … I asked if I could reach out to the entire Senate to apologize for the dating and kinicritize ko or pina-pass ko sa Senate kung may delay … Hindi po ‘ yun ang intensyon (if it looks like I’m criticizing or passing the blame to the Senate if there would be a delay), ”Cayetano said in a video message on Facebook Thursday.
Cayetano explained that he was just saying that the House of Representatives cannot be blamed for a delay in the approval of the P4.5 trillion budget because it will transmit the budget measure to the Senate on November 17, one day after the agreed filing deadline.
“Someday lang po ang diperensya and I hope that maging malinaw ito because kung magkakaroon po ng delay or recreation (The difference is only one day and I hope this clears things up because if there will be a delay or recreation), it will be because of the Senate not by the House, because we are only talking about one day, ”Cayetano said Wednesday.
The Chamber suspended the sessions until Monday, as the dispute between Cayetano and the representative of Marinduque, Lord Allan Velasco, continued to escalate.
The two are locked in a battle over who will take the reins of the House on October 14.
Cayetano abruptly suspended the session Tuesday night after the House passed the budget bill at second reading.
Senator Panfilo Lacson suggested that Cayetano resume the House plenary session and pass the budget bill before October 15, when the Senate and House suspend plenary sessions.
“That’s the only way to ensure the timely approval of the national budget,” said Lacson, chairman of the Senate National Defense and Security Committee.
Other Senate leaders expressed concern that the suspension of the House could make it impossible for Congress to pass the budget measure.
“I just suggested to the Speaker if it is possible for him to resume his session, which is simply suspended and not adjourned, before All Saints’ Day only to pass the House version of the budget measure at the third and final reading and then convey the same to us, ”Lacson said in a statement released Wednesday.
“Between October 12 and 14, when the Senate is originally scheduled to receive the transmission of the GAB (General Appropriations Bill) from the House of Representatives, and on November 17, when the Speaker said that they will be able to transmit the itself, definitely not a “difference of a day” as stated by President Cayetano, ”Lacson added.
“The most important thing on my mind now is to find a viable solution to the impending stalemate involving the most important piece of legislation that Congress has to pass: the national budget, which I have always considered the lifeblood of our economy, if not our country. That is the reason why I contacted the Spokesperson this morning and offered my suggestion which I shared with you, ”he said.
Cayetano pointed out that even if the Department of Budget and Management presented the 2021 National Expenditure Plan a month late due to changes to the response to the pandemic, the Chamber was still working for its speedy approval.
“Instead of blaming the executive who was one month late, we hurried (instead of blaming the executive who was one month late, we hurried it). So we did it on time. Some people think that we won’t be able to send it to the Senate early and then they won’t be able to start on November 17, ”Cayetano said.
But Sotto reminded Cayetano that the House had promised to pass the budget bill in final reading on October 17, the last day of Congress.
It resumes on November 16 after a month-long break.
As the Senate and House try to get on the same page on the budget measure, Malacañang was already considering a contingency plan: calling a special session of Congress to secure approval.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said President Rodrigo Duterte could ask the Senate and House to meet in a special session if the bill is not approved in mid-December.
Roque said the president is confident that there was enough time to finish the deliberations and that there is no reason to delay the budget.
If worst comes to worst, a special session could be called after Dec. 14, when Congress enters a Christmas recess, he said.
WITH CATHERINE S. VALENTE
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