By Liza Soriano
Leyte District 4 Representative Richard Gomez has expressed his support for House Speaker Martin Romualdez in response to the controversy surrounding the removal of confidential funds from some government agencies.
“I support Speaker Romualdez because he leads our institution, and we must stand by our Speaker,” Gomez affirmed.
Gomez emphasized that the House of Representatives has the authority to scrutinize agencies regarding their proposed budgets.
“That’s the standard procedure. During budget sessions, we, as congressmen, question where the funds will be allocated, the justification for additional funds, and how they intend to utilize these funds,” the Leyte lawmaker explained.
On a different note, the House Majority Floor Leader believes that the decision to eliminate confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education is not politically motivated.
“The next general election is still a long way off, so I don’t think this decision is politically motivated. The focus here is on Congress’s demand for transparency in the allocation of confidential and intelligence funds,” he clarified. (ai/mnm)