Comelec's Garcia confirms request for additional budget for 2024

Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia confirmed Tuesday that the poll body asked for an increase for its conduct and supervision of elections, referenda, recall votes and plebiscites budget.

Garcia made the confirmation amid the "word war" between Albay Representative Edcel Lagman and House Committee on Appropriations chair Zaldy Co of Ako Bicol party-list.

Lagman earlier claimed that P12 billion was inserted during the bicameral  conference committee level deliberations on the 2024 national budget as he claimed that the Charter change initiative being pushed by some majority lawmakers is worth at least P14 billion under the national budget for 2024.

Co, however, clarified that the P12 billion increase for Comelec’s conduct and supervision of elections, referenda, recall votes and plebiscites from an initial proposal of the administration at P2 billion is not for Charter change and it was an increase requested by Comelec, not the lawmakers.

“Comelec was thankful to the Bicam for the increase, and you can ask them about it. This [P12 billion for Charter Change] is another one of his [Lagman’s] wild and irresponsible accusations,” Co stressed.

Garcia backed Co's statement telling GMA News Online that they appreciate the bicam's decision to grant their request.

"Yes. Paulit ulit ko binabanggit during our budget hearing na sana maibalik ang 17.4B n tinanggal sa amin. Cong. [Joseph Steven Caraps] Paduano moved to restore and the Committee hearing our budget approved the motion." Garcia told GMA News Online.

"We thank the bicam for restoring the said amount although unfortunately hindi 17.4B," added Garcia.

Lagman previously said that a "mutual friend" said Comelec did not make the request. 

“I have asked Chairman Garcia, through a mutual friend, whether he requested this huge increase, and he said no," Lagman said.

In a statement on Tuesday, Lagman quoted the communication with Garcia in which the friend asked if Garcia or Comelec requested the P12 billion "inserted nung Bicam."

Lagman said Garcia replied, "Hindi pre. Kaya lang dun sa presidents budget tinaggalan kami ng 17.4b kaya binalik lang ung tinaggal na pauli ulit naming [sinasabi] sa budget hearing [na] sana maibalik. Kaya kulang pa ng 5.4b."

Lagman added, "What Chairman Garcia requested to be restored was inadequately given back to the Comelec and what was inserted was for the subject exorbitant augmentation, which he did not request...This P12-B insertion was not in response to the Comelec’s request to restore its budget which was reduced in the submission of the National Expenditure Program (NEP). What was given to Comelec was not requested by it in the form of additional appropriation for the charter change agenda." —VAL/BM, GMA Integrated News