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Pimentel wary of Congress' weeklong break


Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. is sensing something “fishy" in the Congress’ one-week break, saying it might be related to the deliberations on the proposed P1.415-trillion national budget for 2010. “I denounce it as a ploy to enable the administration to get away with the appropriations from being scrutinized minutely for lack of time," he said on Thursday during the weekly forum Kapihan sa Senado. Pimentel expressed fear that if they fail to pass the budget, the administration could “use whatever amount is left in the old budget that is considered re-enacted for their own personal agenda." The Congress adjourned its session on November 18 and will resume on December 1. It was the first time Congress took a break to allow the lawmakers with political ambitions on 2010 to prepare and file their certificates of candidacy (COC) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The period for the filing of COCs will start on Nov. 20, Friday, and will end at midnight of Dec. 1, 2009. “I am wary [that] they are taking away a week off the work of the Senate and of the House at a time when we are discussing the budget. There is something fishy here," Pimentel said. He noted that the lesser time spent on actual discussion of the proposed budget, the lesser possibility of offending some interests. The senator however admitted that he has no proof to back up his claim. Senator Edgardo Angara, chairman of the finance committee, had earlier said that if needed, the chamber would hold hearings day and night to discuss the budget. - GMANews.TV

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