The proposed budget of the Department of Justice (DOJ) breezed through the House Committee on Appropriations' deliberation on Wednesday, Sept. 7 after only one congressman asked questions to the attending officials.
Terminated in less than an hour by the appropriations panel chaired by Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co was the discussion on the proposed P26.686-billion budget of the DOJ under the 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Former Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Cavite 7th district Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla now leads the DOJ as its secretary. Remulla was actually reelected in the May 2022 polls, but was later appointed in the Cabinet by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
After the DOJ panel finished presenting its budget, independent minority solon Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman manifested that he would support a motion from the majority bloc for the speedy termination of the deliberation, "as a courtesy to a former colleague, the honorable justice secretary".
Lagman said this was the same courtesy recent given by the committee to another ex-congressman, now-Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrad Estrella III.
Such sentiment was enforced when Majority Leader and Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe took the mic and said, "On the part of the majority, we concur with the manifestation of the Honorable Edcel Lagman."
Minority Leader 4Ps Party-list Rep. Nonoy Libanan also concurred with the proposed early termination, but asked the appropriations panel to recognize Senior Deputy Minority Leader ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro for an interpellation. Libanan said only Castro will ask questions to the DOJ from the minority.
Castro's interpellation only lasted five minutes, which has been the usual limit given by the appropriations committee.
The motion to terminate the budget discussion was subsequently formalized and carried.
Appropriations panel Senior Vice Chairperson Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo noted that 14 House members other than Castro had listed for the purpose of interpellation. But with the proceedings already concluded, she said that they may still raise questions on the DOJ budget during the plenary debate phase of the budget process.
The DOJ's exsiting budget in the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is P25.247 billion. The total 2023 NEP or proposed goverment spending plan for next year is P5.268 trillion.