Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) - Malacanang on Saturday lashed out at some lawmakers for allegedly making it appear that the executive branch was mainly at fault over anomalous flood control projects. “The Cabinet strongly objects to the recent spins coming from certain members of the House of Representatives who are thereby attempting to shift the blame for their own corruption and failures onto the Executive Branch,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin  said in a strongly worded statement Saturday, September 6.“The Members of the Cabinet will not tolerate any attack on the integrity and reputation of the Executive Branch, and any effort to hold the budget process hostage by political theatrics,” he added. The Palace official noted that all investigations into the anomalies “will be futile if the sources of corruption remain unchecked”.“Hence, we urge the House of Representatives to heed the demand of the people for full accountability: CLEAN YOUR HOUSE FIRST!” he said.Last week, House leaders said they were returning the 2026 National Expenditure Program to the which would be the basis for the budget bill for 2026, to the Department of Budget and Management calling it ‘poorly constructed’ with ‘suspicious’ flood control projects and issues in district budgets.&quot;We have decided as a group to recommend the return of the 2026 national budget to the DBM because we do not know how to deal with it. We have to practically redo the entire submission to us. And we do not want to be suspected of any untoward action,&quot; House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno had said in a House press briefing on September 3. A day after, House leaders deferred its plan to return the budget and continued with the budget deliberations with House Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Rep. Jose Alvarez saying they agreed to wait 10 days for the DBM and the DPWH to address “mangled” entries in the 2026 proposed budget. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the DBM and DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon to conduct a “sweeping review” of the DPWH budget under the proposed 2026 National Expenditure Program to determine whether there are indeed insertions or duplications in the allocation that need to be removed. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/6/ridon-house-infra-panel-to-zero-in-on-discaya-linked-contractors-in-sept-9-probe-1456">House Infrastructure Committee to zero in on Discaya-linked contractors in Sept. 9 probe, says Ridon </a></div><div> </div>

Malacanang on Saturday lashed out at some lawmakers for allegedly making it appear that the executive branch was mainly at fault over anomalous flood control projects.

Malacanang on Saturday lashed out at some lawmakers for allegedly making it appear that the executive branch was mainly at fault over anomalous flood control projects.

'Clean your House first!' Bersamin blasts lawmakers on flood-control projects

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'Clean your House first!' Bersamin blasts lawmakers on flood-control projects

Dennis Gasgonia,

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 06, 2025 07:45 PM PHT

|

Updated Sep 06, 2025 07:49 PM PHT

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Executive Secretary

Lucas Bersamin

Malacanan

House of Representatives

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