FILE PHOTO: Atty. Salvador Panelo says ex-President Rodrigo Duterte was only stating a “legal opinion” based on Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab’s claims that the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) was signed despite irregularities /Faith Argosino
MANILA, Philippines — Ex-President Rodrigo Duterte was only stating a “legal opinion” based on Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab’s claims that the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) was signed despite irregularities.
This was the explanation of Duterte’s former chief presidential legal, Atty. Salvador Panelo, after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Duterte was “lying” for claiming that the 2025 General Appropriations Act contained “blank” items.
Ungab previously alleged discrepancies in the Bicameral Conference Committee report on the 2025 national budget. He claimed that some portions of this year’s government spending plan were left vacant – even lamenting that in his 15 years as a lawmaker, it was the first time that he supposedly encountered a budget bicameral report with blanks.
READ: Marcos denies ‘blank’ GAA items, says Duterte ‘lying’
“[Duterte] is expressing a legal opinion on the assumption that Ungab’s charges are true and if the GAB as signed by PBBM contains the same irregularities,” Panelo explained in a statement on Monday in defense of the former president.
“[Duterte] did not allege any blank item or one with no particular program,” he added.
Panelo urged the media to scrutinize the GAA despite Malacañang’s denial of allegations made by Ungab and Duterte.
“The Palace says it’s not true. The best evidence is the document itself. Media should therefore examine the document,” Panelo said.
Following Ungab’s statements, Duterte said that if such is the case, the 2025 GAA is “not a valid legislation” due to its incomplete details.
“Pagka ganoon, there’s something terribly wrong. As a matter of fact, I would say kung may mga blanko ‘yan na lumusot, that is not a valid legislation,” Duterte said in an interview with SMNI on Saturday, January 18.
(When that happens, there’s something terribly wrong. As a matter of fact, I would say if there are blanks that made it through, that is not a valid legislation.)
“Kung nasa batas na ‘yan, lumabas na ‘yan ng blanko-blanko, either it could be filled up before or after sa Congress. Pagka putol-putol ‘yan o kulang, that is not a valid budget for implementation,” he added.
(If that’s already in the law and it came out incomplete, either it could be filled out before or after Congress. If it’s fragmented or lacking, that is not a valid budget for implementation.)
Malacañang, however, denied claims that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the P6.3-trillion national budget for 2025 with empty portions.
READ: Bersamin on 2025 budget: ‘There is no program with blank appropriations’
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin strongly denied the allegations in a statement Monday, January 20, and called them “outrightly malicious.” He said that such fake news must be “condemned as criminal.”
“No page of the 2025 National Budget was left unturned before the president signed it into law,” Bersamin said.
President Marcos likewise rejected the allegations and said that Duterte was lying.
“He’s lying. He’s a president. He knows that you cannot pass a GAA with a blank. He’s lying. And he’s lying because he knows perfectly well that that doesn’t ever happen,” Marcos said in an ambush interview on Monday.
Marcos emphasized that the soft copy of the GAA is accessible on the Department of Budget and Management website, where the public can verify the claims themselves.
“Hanapin ninyo ‘yung sinasabi nila na blank check. Tingnan nyo kung meron kahit isa… para mapatunayan na tama ang sinasabi kong kasinungalingan ‘yan. That’s my reaction,” the President said.
(Look for what they say is a blank check. See if there is even one instance… to prove what I am saying that that is a lie. That’s my reaction.)
Panelo, however, said that Marcos’ response is also “misplaced, being anchored on the wrong premise.”