P6.41-B badyet ng PAO, isinantabi muna; Acosta absent sa hearing – Gatchalian
Ni Ernie Reyes
Pansamantalang isinantabi ng Senate Committee on finance ang P6.41 bilyong badyet ng Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) para sa 2026 dahil nabigong dumalo si chief Persida Acosta sa pagdinig.
Ayon kay Senador Win Gatchalian, chairman ng komite na nagdesisyon silang isantabi ang badyet ng PAO sa ginanap na pagdinig sa P43.65 bilyong badyet ng Department of Justice (DOJ) at attached agencies nitong nakaraang Lunes.
Sinabi ni Gatchalian na nabigong dumalo si Acosta sa pagdinig dahil mayroon itong opisyal na pagbiyahe at aktibidad sa labas ng bansa base liham ng opisyal sa komite.
“As a matter of procedure and tradition, we always require the head of office to present their budget. This has been the practice for many, many years and for many budget briefings. In fact, a lot of heads of offices of different agencies had to cancel their trips in order to present their budget personally,” ani Gatchalian.
“This is a requirement that is very strictly observed here in the Senate. So with that, we will defer the budget of the Public Attorney’s Office today,” giit niya.
Sinabi ni Gatchalian na magkakaroon ng panibagong petsa ng pagdinig para sa badyet ng PAO upang personal na dumalo si Acosta sa Senado at ipresenta ang pondo ng kanyang tanggapan.
“DOJ Assistant Secretary Maria Elisa Germar said that of the P43.65 billion proposed budget of the DOJ, P6.41 billion was allocated to PAO, which was 18.25% higher than its P5.42 billion budget under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA),” ayon kay Gatchalian.
Ernie Reyes nag-uulat para sa RoadNews
