By ADRIAN STEWART CO
MANILA – Malacañang Palace has clarified its position regarding the alleged “blank items” in the bicameral conference committee report concerning the 2025 national budget.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin emphasized the need to dispel the public notion that the Office of the President has something to do with these purported blank items.
“That is why we resented so much, iyong impression that the President was given a blank check, wala kaming kinalaman, internal sa Congress iyon,” Bersamin said in an interview.
“And that is why, we will respect the boundaries by not commenting kung sino iyong to be blamed for now. But, I’m sure that we did not benefit at all from the blank spaces that are being peddled around,” he added.
Bersamin also indicated that the office of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. would not be held accountable if the matter is escalated to the Supreme Court.
“Hindi ko mapipigilan si Cong. (Isidro) Ungab at saka ‘yung mga similarly-minded people who would want to make a… put up a challenge (before the SC),” Bersamin said.
“Ang problema natin diyan is…hindi kami ang mananagot diyan. Kung mayroon mang pagkukulang sa bagay na iyan, bicam report iyan eh… wala kaming kinalaman sa bicam report,” he added.
Previously, senatorial candidate Vic Rodriguez revealed that some legal professionals are considering bringing the issue of the alleged blank items in this year’s bicameral conference committee report to the Supreme Court.
Rodriguez, who formerly served as executive secretary under President Marcos, expressed his expectation that the Marcos administration will address the claimed inconsistencies in the 2025 budget, which he characterized as “unconstitutional.”/PN
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“Hindi kami ang mananagot diyan. Kung mayroon mang pagkukulang sa bagay na iyan, bicam report iyan… wala kaming kinalaman sa bicam report,” says Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, referring to the supposed “blank items” in the 2025 national budget.
