Belmonte: P83-million budget for truth body may be realigned

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday the P83- million budget for the Truth Commission may be realigned to other agencies so it could be put to good use.

Belmonte issued the statement after Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay slammed the administration bloc in the House of Representatives for leaving intact the budget of the Truth Commission despite the latter’s being declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (SC). She said the P83 million might become another pork barrel at President Aquino’s disposal.

Belmonte said that while there are calls to realign the fund to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the same could be used to boost the prosecuting arms of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).

He noted the DOJ and the PCGG may perform the functions of the Truth Commission once the SC decides with finality on the legality of the body tasked to investigate alleged misdeeds of the Arroyo administration.

“There’s already a budget there. If the Truth Commission doesn’t push through, it becomes a saving which can be realigned perhaps to beef up DOJ or, according to them, the PCGG which can do the same work. I’m not so sure that the PCGG can do the same work. Assuming that it can, they might use the money for that,” Belmonte told reporters after signing the P1.645-trillion General Appropriations Bill.

“Anyway it would be used for the same general purpose intended here in this budget,” he said.

He also expressed confidence that next year’s budget would help alleviate poverty.

“We’re very confident it will be a successful budget. If not, we could be part of the blame because we take full responsibility for it together with the executive (branch),” he said.

Magsaysay and Laguna Rep. Justin Marc Chipeco earlier urged Aquino to realign the fund to TESDA, which is in dire need of funds.