Lagman dares majority solons to amend proposed 2012 budget

House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman Jr. on Monday dared his colleagues aligned with the administration to amend the Palace-backed proposed P1.816-trillion budget for next year. Lagman said his four fellow members of a committee assigned to accept amendments to the proposed budget must exercise Congress’ "ascendant power over appropriations" and change the certain provisions of the 2012 national expenditure program. "The small committee… must have enough courage and will to repel the importuning of the executive of wrestling control from the legislature in the enactment of the General Appropriations Act," he said in a statement. Aside from Lagman, the members of the small committee tasked to accept amendments to the proposed 2012 budget include: Appropriations panel chair Joseph Emilio Abaya, Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. and Negros Oriental Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong. As of posting time, GMA News Online was still trying to reach House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and other members of the House majority to comment on Lagman's statement. Lagman issued the statement a few days after the lower chamber passed on second reading the proposed 2012 budget last Friday without touching its controversial provisions. He challenged his colleagues to specifically amend the provisions on the P39.4 billion proposed funding for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program, and the planned P22.1 billion counterpart funding for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects. He added that administration-aligned congressmen should also scrap the provision on the supposedly “unconstitutional" Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF). “The impoundment of funds for unfilled positions, which were previously appropriated in the separate budgets of co-equal bodies and constitutional commissions enjoying fiscal autonomy, violates the Constitution," he said. — Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News