Not inclined to grill De Lima, Lacson says: No fireworks today

Saying he is sympathetic to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday said there will be no "fireworks" during the Senate hearing on the DOJ budget as he will not be grilling Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. "I’d just like to set the tone of this hearing and I’d like to advise those who are present, media included, that they might be in for a big disappointment because there will be no fireworks today," Lacson said during Tuesday's Senate finance committee hearing. The senator also shook hands with the DOJ chief when she arrived at the Senate. Less than 1 percent of natl budget During the hearing, Lacson even said that he can only sympathize with the DOJ because their recommended budget was only 0.54 percent of the nationwide budget. The DOJ had submitted a proposed budget of P18.5 billion for 2012 to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). However, De Lima said the DBM only approved P9.7 billion, which is still 14.79 percent higher than its 2011 budget. Lacson said he was "concerned" that the budget allocations for the Bureau of Immigration and National Bureau of Investigation, both attached agencies of the DOJ, were not enough for them to "perform their functions efficiently." "Maybe in the plenary I'll be introducing some amendments to realign some portons of the budget to these agencies or the DOJ itself," he said. Administrative order During the hearing, however, Lacson asked De Lima about an administrative order she issued creating a bids and awards committee (BAC) separate from an existing BAC in the NBI. "I think you violated the law when you issued this order," he said. De Lima, however, said that she issued the order as "dictated by the circumstances." "We are not denying that. I know your concern and we cannot debate on the provision," he said. But Lacson said that he was not debating with the DOJ chief and that he was merely making a suggestion. "I'm not debating with you. I'm not lawyer but I know how to read provisions of law," he said. De Lima said that she is willing to submit a paper justifying the creation of a separate BAC. Critical of Lacson De Lima was critical of Lacson when he was evading arrest for his alleged involvement in the November 2000 killings of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito. She even ordered a reinvestigation after the Court of Appeals junked the case. Lacson later on said that he will grill the justice chief over her statements which the senator said tend to "undermine" President Benigno Aquino III. Last week, the senator said that he will support the Justice secretary's confirmation if she finally takes action against the Arroyo family. - VVP, GMA News