Chiz quiz
The P142.7 billion in insertions allegedly made by Senate President Chiz Escudero in the 2025 national budget could be the missing link in the mystery of the blank budget items exposed by former President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab.
Nosy Tarsee was told the allegation intersected with the controversy over “blank items” in the 2025 Bicameral Conference Committee (bicam) report on the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
The blank items might have served as placeholders for discretionary allocations, allowing funds to be redirected post-ratification without clear documentation, Nosy Tarsee learned from a bicam insider.
The blanks could theoretically be filled in with projects favoring specific provinces and allies.
During the bicam, the committee reconciles the differences between the Senate and House versions of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB). This involves adding, removing, or modifying line items.
Blanks or vaguely worded items, such as for “various infrastructure projects” without specific locations or agencies, allow post-deliberation adjustments by key figures, such as the Senate President and committee chairpersons.
The rushed ratification of the 2025 bicam report limited the lawmakers’ ability to review the changes, potentially allowing for insertions, according to the source.
Escudero claimed the enrolled bill, not the bicam report, was legally binding and contained no blanks, but this merely addressed the final output, not the process, according to the source.
Escudero’s defense focused on the legality of the final General Appropriations Act but sidestepped the opacity of the process.
The bicam was the perfect venue for the insertions, as there were no public records.
The absence of transcripts, minutes, and logs meant that no one outside the bicam panel—a select group of senators and representatives—knew what transpired during the meetings. The blank items exacerbated this as they obscured intent until funds were allocated.
Without roll-call votes or public debates, such insertions could not be traced.
The one-hour window for the ratification of the 2025 bicam report prevented the lawmakers from spotting the blank items or questioning the insertions, the source explained to Nosy Tarsee.
Until the bicam process is opened to public scrutiny, allegations like the one involving Escudero will persist, undermining the trust in the budget process.