House to grill Diokno in Question Hour amid ‘insertions’ controversy

The lower chamber will push through with its Question Hour with Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno on the proposed P3.757-trillion 2019 budget this week.

House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. on Monday denied the request of Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno to postpone the proceedings related to the proposed General Appropriations Bill.

In a letter dated December 10, Andaya denied Diokno's motion to postpone the Question House -- scheduled 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 13 -- to a later date.

"We stand firm on our intention to hold the Question Hour as scheduled and look forward to your appearance," Andaya said in the letter.

"Kindly be informed that the House finds it imperative to hold said Question House the soonest due to the urgency of the Members' queries pertaining to current year's expenditures and to the 2019 National Budget," he added.

The House’s question hour proceedings with Diokno will come on the heels of Senator Panfilo Lacson's allegations of multi-billion-peso insertions in the budget to benefit certain districts.

Coop-NATCO party-list Representative Anthony Bravo said the questions for Diokno would be "anchored on public expenditure relative to the role of the DBM."

"That's why he's the one being invited. What's the influence and the role of DBM relative to public expenditure of some government agencies," Bravo said at a news conference.

Diokno requested the postponement in a letter addressed to House of Representatives Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo received on December 7,

"The Department of Budget and Management readily supports the initiative to provide clarifications on concerns surrounding the FY 2019 Budget and other relevant matters," Diokno said.

"Nevertheless, in view of the number of questions proposed, as well as the data and information required, the undersigned respectfully requests that the Question Hour be rescheduled to a later date," he added.

According to Diokno, the rescheduling would be used to gather the necessary information expected to be asked during the Question Hour.

"The additional time requested will enable the DBM to gather the necessary information and undertake coordination with the other agencies concerned, in order to provide the lower chamber with the appropriate responses and clarification," he added. —NB, GMA News