Zubiri lambasted over botched truce

Members of the House of Representatives bristled over the weekend at what they claimed to be the continuing attacks on them by senators, especially the President’s sister, Imee Marcos, over Charter change, or cha-cha.

In a statement Sunday, House members threw figurative punches at Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri for allegedly failing to honor a gentlemen’s agreement for a truce between the two chambers.

Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said Zubiri has let Senator Marcos point an accusing finger at the House on the “alien” allocation of P26.7 billion for the “Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program,” or AKAP under this year’s budget for the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Just days after the purported de-escalation deal forged by Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez over the People’s Initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution through a Constituent Assembly, senators accused the House of inserting AKAP into the 2024 General Appropriations Act.

The insertion was alleged to fund the PI, which had been discarded by the Commission on Election but not before being tainted with allegations of signature-buying (cash or non-financial aid) through DSWD. (See related story)

“This latest incident leaves us now wondering: Has the Senate President lost his moral ascendancy to lead the Senate, or is he taking us for a ride?” Khonghun, a member of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, lamented.

“Are his fellow senators no longer listening to him, or is he really just fooling us all?” he added.

Alien, magical

House leaders earlier this week reminded senators they gave their stamp of approval to AKAP during bicameral revisions of the 2024 GAA before its submission for the President’s signature.

Senator Marcos, who sponsored the DSWD budget, said the P26.7 billion AKAP funds are “alien” and “magical” to her.

According to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, AKAP was designed for those who belong to the “nearly poor” segment or those already delisted from the government’s aid programs, but which could easily slip below the poverty line.

AKAP was supposed to serve as a buffer against runaway inflation, he added.

“She should have read the document in detail. AKAP was there. She should have asked questions there and then before signing it,” said Khonghun, asserting that the fund is not connected at all with the PI.

Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin also hit Zubiri over his alleged lack of command over senators.

“Here in the House, the rules are clear-cut. The Speaker (Romualdez) is in charge. He gives the command. What about in the upper House, who is in charge? Who’s on top? Who’s at the bottom?” Roman said.

“Is it SP Migz or Senator Joel (Villanueva)?” she asked. “I’d like to find out. Please enlighten me because it’s for the sake of efficiency.”

Garin made the same observation regarding the political dynamics in the Senate.

“Sometimes in the Senate, you get confused. What is being discussed should be cascaded to the members because that’s how leadership should be,” Garin said.

Garin urged Zubiri to walk his talk on his self-imposed deadline of winding up deliberations on the Resolution of Both Houses 6 before Congress goes on Holy Week break in March.

Over the past month, members of both houses of Congress had been locked in a verbal duel concerning the controversial PI, which the senators suspect was orchestrated by congressmen to ram through their throats constitutional amendments.

Under the ConAss as envisioned in the botched PI, the House and Senate would consider amendments voting as one body, thus the senators’ vote would just be equal to as many House members.