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Budin ess Thursday, April 4,2eI9

Sotto ill-advised on budget: l\ndaya

BY WEI{DELL VIGIUA
and RAYUo D AFRIGA
THE.chair of the House comnit_
tee. on approprfitions yesterday
sard Senare Ptesident Vicente
Sott^
III's
ner uging ReSa""t O"
le
t"i"
to veto rhe alleged unconstitutional
re_allgnmeols made by the House
ot_Keplesenatives in the p3.757_
mllron proposed national budset
tnr 2019 is non_binding
beca;se
the Senate leader has siened the
entolled bi.ll submitted to"Malaca_
nang.
"The Senate president is ill_
advised by fus lawyers. The lener
ne sent ro the president expressino
lus'sttongfeservations, as'annot"i
rion irl tl.re 2019 national budset
Sotto. on l{arch 26, said he
enrolled bill has no legal basisllt _
declded to break rhe deadloclr
rs lust a personal request which
between the Senate and rhe House
tie President may or mav not take ovet rhe budget bill by sisntng
heed," said Rep. Rolando An.tr,,,
the. (;eneral App.opriaioni
Jr @DP-Laban, Camarines S,rri- .,strons
Bili
(G,{.6) bur with
. In separate letters ro Exectr_ uons." He also appealeito presi
reserva
Eve Secretary Salvador Medialdea
deDt Duterte to oito the ..uncon
and acdng Budget Secretary
laner sntutional" provisions.
Abuel. lasr March 2g,4ndaXi_said
Andaya said: .,The Senate can_
rnere rs no such ding as ,.condi-
nor clothe his srgnatwe ro the 2019
nonal signing of an enrolled
bill.., Generai Appropriabons Bill with
He mainrained that the realisn_
amDNalence or dissent. Signine
ments, which dre Senate also ma?e,
an enrolled copy of the naionri
are luty consdtutional as part of budget is a legal aft. The imorima_
the budgeEiy process, aod there
is tur of the Senate presidenr'orr
no consdtutional provision which rhe
enrolled bill cannot be diminished
h"s been violated, as none was
crted by the Senarc president_,.
'Q
s'.rji See SOTTO ) page 85

fage &'6