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Palace blasts 'unparliamentary behavior', demands 'respect' from Congress

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Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1396613" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>MANILA - Malacañang on Friday demanded “respect” from members of Congress after members of the House of Representatives grilled Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno over the P75 billion “insertion” in the proposed 2019 budget.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/13/18/duterte-still-trusts-budget-chief-diokno-palace">Duterte still trusts budget chief Diokno - Palace</a></li></ul><p>Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said it is &quot;elementary&quot; for a branch of government to accord respect for the other branch of government, which is why the Palace deems the treatment of Diokno by House members unacceptable.</p><p>&quot;When they make courtesy calls, they are accorded due respect, and so we of course demand the same respect when they invite members of the Cabinet,&quot; Panelo said in a Palace press briefing.</p><p>&quot;They should exercise the demands of ethical refinements, meaning to say they should be exercising courtesy and civility with each other.&quot;</p><p>Panelo said the Palace is now considering either declining invitations from lawmakers for inquiries or having Cabinet members excuse themselves “the moment any sign of disrespect is given.”</p><p>President Duterte has warned Congress against mistreating and humiliating government resource persons. He often cites the case of the late energy and defense secretary Angelo Reyes, who the President said took his life after being shamed by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV in a Senate hearing.</p><p>Diokno’s fellow Cabinet members have also come to his defense, writing a letter to President Duterte to complain about the lawmakers’ treatment of him and the House Resolution calling for his removal.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/13/18/violation-of-separation-of-powers-cabinet-members-slam-house-reso-vs-diokno">‘Violation of separation of powers’: Cabinet members slam House reso vs Diokno</a></li></ul><p>A day before going on Christmas break, the chamber adopted House Resolution No. 2365 urging Duterte to reconsider Diokno’s appointment due to his involvement in the alleged P75 billion “insertion” in the proposed 2019 budget.</p><p>The proposed DPWH budget for 2019 was known to have increased to P555 billion after P75 billion was added to the administration-approved P480 billion due to government&#x27;s need for a higher infrastructure budget. </p><p>Diokno maintained that there was nothing anomalous with the budget augmentation and that any changes in a department&#x27;s budget proposal was part of the process.</p><p>But the House resolution asserted that “such insertion, if proven, is illegal and ultra vires (beyond one&#x27;s authority) for it bypassed the authority of the President, through its line agencies, to submit its proposed budgets for 2019.”</p><p>HR No. 2365 also said Diokno failed to explain how a sole proprietorship construction company was able to obtain numerous projects from the government in Sorsogon, amounting to billions of pesos. </p><p>Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, who questioned Diokno about his supposed influence in the allocation of P2.8 billion worth of infrastructure projects in Casiguran, Aurora and Sorsogon in Bicol, said the budget secretary should resign out of delicadeza.</p><p>Diokno’s daughter is married to the son of Sorsogon Vice Governor Ester Hamor and Casiguran Mayor Edwin Hamor. The budget chief vehemently denied having wielded his influence to benefit his in-laws.</p>

<p>MANILA - Malacañang on Friday demanded “respect” from members of Congress after members of the House of Representatives grilled Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno over the P75 billion “insertion” in the proposed 2019 budget.</p>

MANILA - Malacañang on Friday demanded “respect” from members of Congress after members of the House of Representatives grilled Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno over the P75 billion “insertion” in the proposed 2019 budget.

Palace blasts 'unparliamentary behavior', demands 'respect' from Congress

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Palace blasts 'unparliamentary behavior', demands 'respect' from Congress

Dharel Placido,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 14, 2018 01:03 PM PHT

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Updated December 14, 2018 01:48 PM PHT

Read More:

danilo suarez

salvador panelo

ben diokno

house of representatives

pork barrel

diokno

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