September 18, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Direktang inakusahan ni House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno sina dating House Appropriations Chairman at AKO Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co at dating Senate President Chiz Escudero na nasa likod umano ng kuwestiyonableng insertions sa 2025 national budget.
Sa panayam ng ANC nitong Miyerkules, sinabi ni Puno na ang pagbibitiw sa puwesto ni House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez ay upang harapin ang mga kontrobersya sa budget insertions.
Ibinahagi ni Puno na noong una ay nais lamang ni Romualdez na mag-leave at pansamantalang magtalaga ng Acting Speaker pero napagtantong mas makabubuting magsakripisyo at bagaman tutol ang mga lider na kaalyado nito sa Kamara ay pinili na magbitiw na lamang sa puwesto.
Nilinaw rin ng kongresista na hindi sangkot si Romualdez sa mga insertion dahil hindi naman ito nakakadalo sa mga pagpupulong kaugnay ng pagsasapinal ng national budget para sa 2025.
“Well, here’s the process sa budget… The House version did not have the insertions. It went to the Senate. The Senate and the Congress had a bicameral committee. The bicameral committee was composed of many representatives,” paliwanag ng solon.
“Then they decided to make it a small committee. The small committee was four people — Senate President Chiz Escudero, Speaker Romualdez, Senator Grace Poe, and Congressman Zaldy Co.”
“The small committee went into their meetings — this is where the insertions were put in, by the way.”
Pero iginiit niya, “The Speaker did not attend those meetings. Senator Grace Poe was not allowed to attend most of those meetings.”
Binigyang-diin pa ni Puno na malinaw na sina Co at Escudero ang nagsagawa ng budget insertions at nagsapinal ng kinukuwestiyong singit pondo kabilang ang malaking halaga ng alokasyon sa flood control projects.