Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III (Senate PRIB)

We don't have a P23-billion building project. 

This was the "Young Guns'" retort to Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III after the latter chided the House of Representatives for its supposedly huge budget. 

“Instead of hitting us, congressmen, the good Senate Minority Leader should welcome our move to applaud the decision of the new Senate leadership to uphold the principles of good governance," Assistant Majority Leader Zambales 1st district Rep. Jay Khonghun said in a joint statement of the Young Guns on Thursday, June 13. 

Earlier in the day, Pimentel told reporters in the Senate that the Young Guns in the House should "first look at the dramatic increase in the budget of the House...as reflected in the President's Budget to the final amount of P27 billion in the General Appropriations Law". 

Pimentel's statement was triggered by Khonghun and company's criticism over the ballooning cost of the new Senate building, from its initial price tag of P8.9 billion to P23.3 billion. 

Another Young Gun in House Assistant Majority Leader Ako-Bicol Party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon said it was unncessary for Pimentel to divert the issue by comparing the budget of the Senate and the House of Representatives. 

“One thing is clear: the House of Representatives, with its over 300 members, does not have a P23-billion building project. Senator Pimentel's attempts to divert scrutiny from the Senate's controversial expenditure by highlighting the House's budget increase are unfounded and misleading,” Bongalon, a lawyer, said. 

“Public funds must be utilized transparently and judiciously, irrespective of the agency or branch of government,” he added. 

There are only 24 senators, it should be noted. The new Senate building, the construction of which has been halted, is located at the posh Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig. 

The Young Guns said that it is not their responsibility to defend the allocation and expenditure of the Senate's budget. 

“There is no need to be onion-skinned about the criticisms aimed at the Senate’s spending. As public officials, we must all be open to scrutiny, especially when it concerns the use of taxpayers’ money,” said Assistant Minority Leader 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez. 

“The public deserves to know why the cost of the NSB has escalated so dramatically, and your role as a Senator should include ensuring accountability and transparency, not merely defending controversial projects,” Gutierrez added.