Grace Poe breaks silence, appears before ICI to explain budget process

MANILA, Philippines — The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Tuesday, September 23, invited former Sen. Grace Poe as a resource person in its investigation into anomalous public works projects.

Poe said she was invited to inform the ICI of the budget process in Congress. 

“Actually, I was sent an invitation to be a resource person to shed light on the process of the budget, kung ano alam ko. I’m actually glad to be given the opportunity to be able to explain the process as I know,” she told reporters in an ambush interview. 

Poe chaired the Senate finance committee in the 19th Congress and was allegedly a member of the so-called “small committee” of the bicameral conference committee that deliberated on the controversial 2025 national budget. 

She and her House counterpart, Rep. Elizaldy Co (Ako Bicol Party-list), face accusations of moving around billions to infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). 

After staying silent, Poe denied the claims against her, saying she did not even join any small committee or closed-door meetings with Co. 

“As to the existence of a small committee, I am really not privy to that. Wala ako sinalihan na small committee or closed-door meetings with my counterpart in the House,” she said.  

Aside from Poe and Co, Sen. Chiz Escudero and Rep. Martin Romualdez (Leyte, 1st District) have also been named as the two other members of the small committee. 

Bicam's small committee?

The role of the so-called small committee in the national budget process has come under intense public scrutiny in recent months. Typically composed of just four members from the House, the committee is tasked with handling “institutional amendments” to the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

This committee is usually formed after the bill’s second reading in the House, when amendments are still allowed. By the time the GAB reaches third reading, no further changes should be introduced.

The amendments handled by the committee often involve reallocating funds, reducing allocations for certain projects to increase funding for others. 

However, controversy has surrounded the process amid allegations that some lawmakers are not merely proposing budgetary adjustments, but making insertions that allegedly benefit specific members through a suspected “kickback scheme”.

Several House lawmakers and senators have been implicated by dismissed DPWH officials amid congressional probes into flood control projects. All, however, denied receiving commissions. 

It was only last week, when Romualdez resigned, that Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno said the bicam also had its own “small committee.” He claimed that only Escudero and Co were present in those meetings, with Poe “not allowed” to attend and Romualdez absent. 

During the House DPWH budget briefing, Rep. Mikaela Suansing (Nueva Ecija, 1st District) also said the bicam has a technical working group that functions similarly to the small committee.

RELATED: Quimbo flags P289-B insertions in 2025 DPWH budget from bicam

Poe's process

Poe explained that while she is not part of the small committee, the process in the Senate involves senators submitting their individual or institutional amendments to the Finance Committee’s secretariat.

According to Poe, the secretariat then coordinates with her and her counterpart in the House. What she said is that a technical working group composed of members from both chambers is tasked with reconciling the proposed amendments.

“Lahat naman ng mga sinasabing amendments, ni-ratify ng both Houses during the final bicam process,” Poe said. 

(All the said amendments, both Houses ratify them during the final bicam process.) 

Poe added that the Department of Budget and Management was also aware of the Senate’s proposed amendments, as the agency wanted to ensure the revisions were feasible and would not undermine the president’s priority infrastructure projects.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. created the independent commission to investigate government infrastructure projects spanning the past decade, starting with the flood control projects recently revealed to be substandard or abandoned by contractors.

One of the ICI's recent findings is the "widespread destruction and tampering" of DPWH documents. The commission is also conducting field inspections on infrastructure projects across the country to examine projects tagged "finished".