Malacañang has refuted former President Rodrigo Duterte’s allegations of irregularities in the 2025 National Budget, labeling his claims as “malicious and criminal.”
In a recent appearance on the “Basta Dabawenyo” podcast on Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte’s YouTube channel, the former president asserted that the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) was signed with several blank items, likening it to giving the government a “blank check.” He described the spending plan as “invalid and unenforceable.”
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin denied these accusations, emphasizing that such claims are false and intended to mislead. “It is impossible for any funding items to be left blank,” Bersamin stated.
He explained that the budget underwent meticulous scrutiny before being signed into law. “All 4,057 pages of the GAA were thoroughly reviewed by professionals from Congress and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM),” Bersamin noted.
Bersamin also urged the public to verify the budget, available on the DBM website, to confirm that no blank appropriations exist. “The peddling of such fake news is outrightly malicious and should be condemned as criminal,” he stressed.
This exchange highlights the growing tension between Duterte and the current administration, with Malacañang accusing the former leader of spreading disinformation to undermine public trust in the budget’s integrity.
