Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno orchestrated the “insertion” of some P75 billion in the proposed P3.8-trillion national budget for 2019 without President Rodrigo Duterte’s consent, House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said on Tuesday. Public works projectsGrilled by Andaya, the budget secretary said the additional budget for public works projects was actually P75 billion. To which Diokno replied: “You cannot call that insertion because it’s part of the budget preparation process. That’s not insertion.”But Andaya disclosed that he personally discussed the budget insertion with the President who, he claimed, had no idea about the matter. “The President told me that he had nothing to do with it and that I should ask you,” he told Diokno.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 11, 2018 23:26 UTC