WEDNESDAY / MARCH 20, 2019
.. WWW.INQUIRER.NET
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as to the details, tlrat's the one
md Marlon Ramos that we'll see," Arroyo said.
qIgqln-l!qq{9I On Monday, the Speaker said
she had assigned San Juan Rep.
the House of Relrebentatives has Ronaldo Zamora to negotiate
rot withdrawn its version of the with the senators to break the
ro19 budget Speaker Gloria Maca- stalemate' be'tween the Senate
)agal-Arroyo said on Ttesday, re- and the House over the P3.8-tril-
uting dairns tlnt her chamber Iion budget.
as backed down in its monthlong Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the
tandoff with the Senate. . House "bliiked" after Zamora
"No, we have not withdrawn promised to recall the }Iouse's
rur version,:' the former Presi enrotled bill that it had lubmit-
lent told reporters. ted to Senate Pre3ident Vlcente
But she acknowledged that Sotto III for signing
hetwo chambers hdve started a Sotto has refused to sign the'
rew round of negotiations oo bill, which, according to the sen-
he much-delayed national ators, contains unconstitutional
pending bill- amendments riade by the
House after ratification.
'No lump srrm'
Arroyo said the House would ofgoodwill
Stgn
ontinue to insist that no,lump- 'Zamora said his offer was
um appropriations be retained in only a sign of goodwill to start
he budget, a major point of con- offdiscussions.
3ntion that the lwo house-s bf But the House appropdations
longress have so far not resolved. cornmittee chair, Camarines Sur
"We're in discussions about Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., said no
rhat is the proposed new ver- congressman had the autlority
ion," she said inan interview at to recall any enrolled bill withdut
forum in Taguig City. . plenary approval
"We will insist on no lump The House and the Senate sep-
llm because that is what is un- antely mtned th€i General Appro-
onstitutional. That's what we priations Bill of 2019 oir Feb..8, but
dll insist: No lump sum. Now, the measure has not been trans-
rftted to'Malacaiang because of
on told by reporters about Arroyo's Told thatAroyo was insisting Lacson said Zamora told him
differences between the two remarks, that there should be no lump-sum on Monday that he had already
drambers over the last-minute He reiterated that he would a[ocations in the budget, Sotto cleared the matter with Andaya
changes made by the House. sign the budget bill only if it was replied: "Then why did they ratify and that the House would still
The Senate leadership in- the original document that [the spending bill]? They should withdraw its version ofthe bud-
sists on only the untouchedver- Congress ratified onFeb. 8. have raised that duJing the [con- getbill.
sion agreed upon by both cham- "We stand firm on what we ferencel committee hearings." "The withdrawal [of fte
bers, arguing that the House, have already said and what we "That's the central issue," Housel is still a go after lzamora]
made unlawfu I postratification have decided," Sotto said. Sotto said, referring to the arbi- e4)lained to lAndaya] that there
amendments, including realign- :'We caimot agr€e to some- trary decision of the congress- is no need for a plenary approval
ment of funding for public thing that is violative of Articie men to allocate P95.1 billion in sinice tJIe enrolled bill is simply a
works and health cer{ters- ryo of the Revised Penal Code, infrastructure funds to selected draft :' the senator said.
The House denies making which is falsification of legisla- congressional districts.
unlawful alterationJjo the bill, tive.documents. It's as simple as
.
.' Tuesdaymeeting
saying the changes are just an that," he said. 'Dizzying pork Malacaiang said there was
itemization of lurirp-surn ap- . Sought fdr comment, Lacson still a chance to break the stale-
propriations- Backdoor talks said it was now up to the House mate.
No copy of the enrolled bill is Sotto appeared uninterested to resolve internal dlfferences Presidential spokesperson
available publicly as neither in anothi:r meeting with the and break the budget deadlock. Salvador Panelo told
chamber has released it to the House leaders, but he said he "Whatever. The ball is in thatArroyo was planning to
press pending its signing into law. would still allow Lacson to go in- their hands. They proposed, w€ witi the senators on Tuesday.
to backdoor talks $iith the con- accepted," he told the Inquirer "We can make a
No deal, no budgetbill gressmen to break the impasse. in a textmessage. after lTuesday] because
Arroyo wamed that no budget He said he was confused at "If they [are] indeed lwith- will be meeting," Panelo said.
bill wodd be transmitted to fhe the conflicting statements of drawingl from the agreement to The.Duterte
President unless the two cham- Arroyo and Zamora, surmising recall their enrolled bill, we lwill is operating on a reenacted
beris readrcd a compromise. that ther€ was an internal prob- justl wait for the next lHouse] budget as a result of the
"If we don't come to an lem in the House. leadership," he said. gressional deadlock.
agreement and then Tito Sotto "We will just wait for them In a tweet on Monday night, The budget delay has
does not sign the bill, tJren to make up their minds. Othirr- Lacson said:. "Just when the the administratioris ec(
there's no bill to send to the wise, we can wait until June 30, stalemate between the Senate malagirs to roll back
President. So I do not know if he said, adding: "lf they do not and the House is about to end, grovith projection tlis year to 6-
' we will but I would wish we withdraw and revert to the rati- there is now a budget impasse percent froin 7-8 percent.
wouid," she said. fied version, then it'S going to within the House- Blame it on nfPioR?s FRoM cHRtsTtt{E o-
'"So be it," Sotto said when be in August for sure." the diz2ying pork." DAio AND MA|rAAGER INQ
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