Congressmen urged President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno over alleged insertions into the 2019 P3.757 trillion budget.

Before adjourning for the Christmas break Wednesday, the House of Representatives adopted House Resolution (HR) No. 2365 urging Duterte to relieve Diokno.

In a resolution filed by Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, it cited “doubts as to the Secretary’s integrity and use of his position in accommodating and merging family with public interests.”

“Therefore, be it resolved as it hereby resolved that the House of Representatives urge His Excellency Rodrigo Roa Duterte, to reconsider the appointment of Hon. Benjamin Diokno as Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management,” the resolution said.

Majority Floor Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. accused Diokno of allegedly manipulating the budget process by reportedly inserting P75-billion in the proposed 2019 budget.

“ It is clear that he blindsided the President on the budget process. The President trusted him, he betrayed that trust. The DBM Secretary must spare the President of this embarrassment. Pronto,” said Andaya after Diokno admitted during his Question Hour grilling last Tuesday there were P75-billion “insertions” during the time of ousted Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Andaya, a former budget secretary, claims Diokno allocated P10-billion under the 2018 national budget and another P6-billion in next year’s national budget to the province of the politician-in-laws of his daughter in Sorsogon. DMS