DBM on Duterte threat to veto 2019 budget: It’s authorized under 1987 Constitution

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) sided with President Rodrigo Duterte after he threatened to veto the proposed 2019 budget, saying its exercise is allowed under the 1987 Constitution.

On Thursday,  Duterte threatened to veto the P3.757-trillion proposed national budget for 2019 amid allegations of illegal insertions and realignments made in the spending plan.

Sought for comment, DBM officer-in-charge Secretary Janet Abuel said, "The exercise of the veto power of the President is authorized under the 1987 Constitution.

Section 27 (1), Article VI of the 1987 Constitution states that:

"Every bill passed by the Congress shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President. If he approves the same he shall sign it; otherwise, he shall veto it and return the same with his objections to the House where it originated, which shall enter the objections at large in its Journal and proceed to reconsider it….'"

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) earlier warned that a full-year reenacted budget can bring down growth to as low as 4.2% to 4.9%.

Duterte's signing of the long awaited 2019 national budget has again become uncertain after the Palace removed it from the chief executive's calendar on Monday, April 15.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III had urged Duterte to veto the P75-billion allocation for programs and projects under the Local Infrastructure Program of the Department of Public Works and Highways which was made through internal realignments after the bicameral conference report was ratified.

The government has been operating on a reenacted budget since January. — RSJ, GMA News