Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima has rejected Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson's suggestion for the Senate to adopt the P6.793-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) as is, calling it a dangerous predecent in case a "corrupt president" takes over the country in the future.

"We understand where Sen. Ping is coming from, given the magnitude of corruption in the national budget. I cannot, of course, speak for the Senate and I'm simply airing here my own views as a member of the House of Representatives," De Lima said in a statement Saturday, Aug. 23.

Lacson earlier said that this "experiment" of approving the NEP in full as the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or proposed national budget would ensure that lawmakers won't end up mangling the all-impprtant measure.

This, of course, with the assumption that the items in the NEP were fully vetted by Malacañang.

"With due respect to Sen. Ping, I do not agree with his suggestion. Hindi natin pwedeng daanin sa experiment ang pera ng taumbayan (We cannot leave public funds to experimentation)," De Lima said.

In the annual budget process, the House gets first dibs on the NEP in order to guide it in crafting the GAB. Traditionally, solons make realignments to allocations in the NEP as they see it fit.

"Congress has the power of the purse. Kapag hindi namin sinuri ang panukalang budget, tinalikuran na rin namin ang mandato ng Konstitusyon, yung tungkulin namin sa taumbayan (If we don’t scrutinize the proposed budget, we’re also turning our backs on the mandate of the Constitution, our duty to the people)," De Lima said.

"This will not really address the problem and might set a dangerous precedent," underscored the congresswoman and ex-senator.

"Let’s say ginawa yung suggestion niya, paano kung in the future, mayroong corrupt na Pangulo, at maging sunud-sunuran sa kanya ang Kongreso at Senado? That can be used as a reason—“nagawa na noon, bakit hindi ulitin?”

(Let’s say his suggestion was followed, what if, in the future, there’s a corrupt President, and Congress and the Senate simply obey him? That could be used as a reason--‘It was done before, why not do it again?)

The latter stages of the budget process involves the harmonization of the two GAB versions each approved by the House and Senate under what's called a Bicameral Conference Committee.

What must be done instead according to De Lima is to seriously and thoroughly scrutinize the national budget and hold those involved in anomalous projects accountable.

"Let's safeguard our nation's coffers—from the budget proposal, to the deliberations and passage in Congress, including the deliberations at the bicam level, up to the implementation by government agencies," she said.

Panagutin, hindi palusutin, ang mga corrupt. Takpan o remedyohan ang mga butas ng batas, hindi pagtakpan ang mga sangkot na mambabatas. Itama, hindi ipaubaya, ang proseso para sa kapakinabangan ng sambayanang Pilipino.

(Hold the corrupt accountable, not let them off the hook. Patch or fix the loopholes in the law, not cover up for the lawmakers involved. Correct the process for the benefit of the Filipino people, not abandon it.)