Marcos on Duterte's remark on 2025 budget: He's lying

“He’s lying.”

This was the response of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on the allegations made by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, that there were discrepancies in the 2025 national budget.

Marcos said Duterte, as a former president, should know that this could not happen.

''He’s lying. He’s a president, he knows that you cannot pass a GAA without any – with a blank… He’s lying,'' Marcos said.

''And he’s lying because he knows perfectly well that that doesn't ever happen. Sa buong kasaysayan ng buong Pilipinas, hindi pinapayagan na magkaroon ng item ang GAA ng hindi nakalagay kung ano ‘yung project at saka ano ‘yung gastos, ano ‘yung pondo (In the entire history of the Philippines, an item in the GAA which does not have any allocated project or fund is not allowed). So, it’s a lie,'' he added.

Marcos said the document is also available for the public to check on the website of the Department of Budget and Management. 

''Hanapin ninyo ‘yung sinasabi nila na blank check. Tingnan ninyo kung mayroong kahit isa para mapatunayan na tama ang sinasabi ko kasinungalingan ‘yan. That’s my reaction,'' he said.

(Check the 2025 GAA and look if there is indeed a blank check, as what they claimed. See if it's true to prove that I'm correct in saying that his statement was a lie. That's my reaction.)

Malacañang on Monday also denounced the allegations made by Duterte, saying that the allegations made should be dismissed as ''criminal.''

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Duterte and other individuals' move was an act of peddling misinformation.

''Some quarters, including a former president, have maliciously peddled fake news about President Marcos having signed the GAA (General Appropriations Act) of 2025 with certain parts of the enactment purposely left blank to enable the administration to simply fill in the amounts like in a blank check,'' Bersamin said in a statement.

''The peddling of such fake news is outrightly malicious and should be condemned as criminal. No page of the 2025 National Budget was left unturned before the president signed it into law,'' he added.

Bersamin stressed that all of the 4,057 pages of the P6.326-trillion budget's two thick volumes were exhaustively reviewed by hundreds of professional staff from Congress and the Department of Budget and Management.

GMA News Online contacted the Duterte camp, in particular, former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo, to get their comment on Marcos' statement.

Earlier on Monday, however, Panelo said Duterte’s remarks were based on the validity of Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab’s findings plus on the assumption that the GAB (General Appropriations Bill) as signed into law by PBBM contains the same omissions. 

“Hence, FPRRD is sayin IF as charged by Ungab, the GAA was signed with infirmities, then those responsible could go to jail,” he explained.

The former president was expressing a legal opinion on the assumption that Ungab’s charges are true and “if the GAB as signed by PBBM contains the same irregularities,” he said.

Panelo also said the media should examine the documents to determine the truth.

As regards Marcos' reaction to Duterte's remark, Panelo said the former president did not allege any blank item or one that has no particular program. 

''He was merely expressing a legal opinion on the assumption that what Cong Ungab was saying is true. In the same way, that PBBM response is also misplaced being anchored on the wrong premise,'' Panelo said in a separate statement.

DBM: Bill presented was complete

The Department of Budget and Management categorically denied the allegations made by Duterte and Ungab, calling it as completely false and reckless. The DBM said what was presented by the two was the Bicameral Conference committee report.

''What has been presented by certain misinformed individuals are pages from the Bicameral Conference (Bicam) Committee Report, and NOT the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) nor the GAA,'' the DBM said.

''It is important to note that, under the 1987 Constitution, it is the Bill— the GAB, and NOT the Bicam Report, that is officially submitted for the consideration, and approval or veto of the President,'' it added.

It stressed that the Bill presented to and signed by the President was ''a complete document, with no blank pages or missing details. In no case does the Executive issue a GAA with blank pages or figures.''

The DBM then urged Filipinos to be mindful, cautious, and to first verify information before making any allegations.

''Clear and accurate understanding is critical for constructive dialogue. We kindly appeal to our kababayans to avoid spreading false information; communication is a powerful tool that can make or break a nation. Let us use it to promote unity and understanding, and not to sow discord, hatred, and division,'' the DBM said.

Duterte and Ungab last week flagged supposed discrepancies in the bicameral conference committee report on the national budget, with Ungab saying that there were missing budget amounts for items under the Department of Agriculture and unprogrammed appropriations.

Ungab said the blanks could not be considered a typographical, grammatical, or printing error.

Duterte, for his part, said the budget items should not be left empty to be filled up later on. According to the former president, anyone who tampered with the budget could face criminal prosecution. —KG/AOL, GMA Integrated News