MANILA, Philippines - Budget and Management Secretary Butch Abad should resign out of delicadeza due to the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) controversy, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said Thursday.
Santiago said Abad, who spearheaded the DAP, was under "very strong pressure" to accelerate the economy in 2011 when the Aquino administration was criticized for its underspending.
But the administration had a "deficit in legal analysis of the situation" when it tried to stimulate the economy through DAP as they allegedly forgot to consult an eligible constitutional lawyer, Santiago said.
"Normally the procedure there would be not to fire the DBM secretary but for the secretary to offer his resignation just to show that he has delicadeza. And then if the President finds it excusable or tolerable, then he declines the offer to resign," the feisty senator said.
The DAP is now facing criticisms on its legal basis. Santiago earlier said the scheme is not contained in the national budget and it violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution.
Palace officials and the President himself have insisted that the DAP is legal.
On Thursday, Strategic Communication Secretary Ricky Carandang defended Abad, saying there has been no indication that the budget chief has done anything wrong.
"Many of the calls for Abad's resignation; these plunder charges being filed against Abad would certainly be an injustice if he were hounded out of office," Carandang said in a televised press briefing.
He added that Abad has taken "very good care" of the country's finances.
"The reforms that have been undertaken in DBM, ordered by the President, fully executed by Butch Abad, have saved this country and taxpayers billions of pesos," Carandang said.