Palace told: Waive parliamentary courtesy in budget hearing

A lawmaker has challenged the Office of the President (OP) to waive any parliamentary courtesy and subject its budget to full scrutiny by the House of Representatives ahead of the office's scheduled budget hearing on Monday, Sept. 8.

- ELLSON QUISMORIO, ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS, and HANNAH L. TORREGOZA

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio issued the call yesterday following Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin's attack on House members regarding alleged budget irregularities.

In his scathing statement, Bersamin defended Cabinet officials and condemned what he called the "recent spins from certain members of the House of Representatives" for supposedly attempting to shift blame for corruption onto the executive department.

"If Secretary Bersamin and the Marcos administration truly have nothing to hide, then they should welcome the most thorough examination of their budget, Kung walang tinatagong anomalya, bakit takot matanong? (Why be afraid of questions if you're not hiding anything anomalies?)" Tinio asked.

The center of the controversy-the P6.793-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) or the proposed national budget for 2026-emanated from the executive branch through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Bersamin is expected to attend the OP's budget hearing tomorrow before the House Committee on Appropriations. Traditionally, the OP officials are accorded parliamentary courtesy by solons and the budget deliberation is terminated quickly.

It remains to be seen if such courtesy would still be given Monday after Bersamin's remarks.