Anti-insurgency proposed budget valid gov’t expenditure, says Palace

September 14, 2020

Malacanang defended on Monday the proposed P16.4-billion anti-insurgency budget for 2021, saying it is a valid expenditure.

In a televised press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said if the Makabayan lawmakers want the scrapping of the proposed allocation for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, they should also encourage other congressmen to vote against the budget.

"From my understanding, all those projects are related to the anti-insurgency campaign of our government and that's a valid expenditure," he said.

"In any case, it's not for Makabayan bloc alone to question it. They must get the support of more of their colleagues in Congress to remove such entry," Roque said.

But as of now, he said the budget proposal coming from the executive branch stands.

"We bow to the wisdom of Congress, but not just to the Makabayan bloc," Roque stressed.

The Makabayan congressmen, include those from Bayan Muna and other party-list groups critical of the Duterte administration.

Bayan Muna Rep. Eufemia Cullamat has branded the proposed budget for NTF-ELCAC as pork barrel for not being itemized.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduaro Año, a retired military general, however, denied that the proposed P16.4-billion was pork barrel. Celerina Monte/DMS