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Koko abstains ’24 budget voting: Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, expressing his continuing objection to presidential certification of the budget bill, abstains in advance from the voting in the plenary Tuesday, November 28, 2023 on the proposed 2024 national budget amounting to P5.768 trillion. Pimentel explained that every year, the legislature passes the budget proposal “as a regular course of the business.” He said he does not see the propriety of the presidential certification when there is no emergency or calamity existing. “I will not object any more. I just want to make a manifestation of my continuing objection to the use of a presidential certification for the budget, when I do not see any emergency or calamity right before us, which will be addressed by the certification," the minority leader said. “So because of this issue, Mr. President, I will advance my vote. I am abstaining,” he added. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)