‘Tit for tat’: Duterte threatens not to sign 2022 budget bill

By Prince Golez

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday challenged senators to cut the budgets of government agencies for next year.

During his taped public address, Duterte dared the Senate to reduce the budgets by one third and threatened not to sign the national budget.

“You threaten the budget of different agencies of the Executive because the officials refuse to attend your hearings. Ito ‘yung mga pang-abuso talaga itong masabi ko sa gobyerno ‘pag ka demokrasya, itong separation of powers, co-equal and everything; and they threatened to paralyze government,” the country’s chief executive said.

Duterte earlier ordered his Cabinet not to attend the Senate blue ribbon committee investigations into the government’s purchase of allegedly overpriced Covid-19 supplies.

“I challenge you, do it. ‘Pag ka ‘yung mga hearing reduce the budget by one third, hinahamon ko kayo, gawain ninyo ‘yan. Mautak man kaya kayo… Reduce it by one third, I challenge you. Huwag kang matakot, gawin mo. O i-zero budget mo ang Office of the President,” the President said.

“Sige nga, gawain mo daw. Bakit? Aabot ba ‘yang pera ninyo kung hindi magdaan sa akin? Eh kung hindi ako mag-release? Tit for tat. Akala ninyo kayo lang ang marunong,” he added.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)