By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – Malacañang on Saturday said some lawmakers are deliberately trying to shift the blame to the executive branch instead of taking responsibility for their “own corruption and failures.”
In a statement, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the Cabinet “strongly objects to recent spins coming from certain members of the House of Representatives.”
Bersamin’s statement came after party leaders at the House of Representatives earlier recommended the return of the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), which contains the proposed PHP6.793-trillion for next fiscal year.
“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 said.
The House leaders already dropped the plan to send back the 2026 NEP to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and instead agreed to let concerned agencies correct the flagged items in the proposed budget.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier ordered the sweeping review of the line items in the Department of Public Works and Highway’s (DPWH) proposed budget for 2026, following concerns over double entries and project insertions.
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon on Wednesday vowed to address the issues surrounding the budget plan on or before the set two-week deadline, saying corrections to the 2026 NEP will be coursed through errata.
Amid the review of the DPWH’s spending plan, Bersamin advised House lawmakers to “clean [their] house first.”
“All our investigations into the anomalies will be futile if the sources of corruption remain unchecked,” he said.
“Hence, we urge the House of Representatives to heed the demand of the people for full accountability.”(PNA)
