LACSON TO PALACE: WHY THE DELAY IN BUDGET SIGNING?

Why the delay in the signing of the P1-trillion national budget for 2007?

Sen. Panfilo Lacson hurled this question at President Arroyo Monday, after noting that Malacañang has kept quiet on the issue after Congress passed the budget.

Why is Mrs. Arroyo not yet signing the budget? What is causing the delay? Why is she not signing it up to now? Lacson said at the Kapihan sa Manila forum at The Manila Hotel.

The Senate and the Lower House approved the proposed budget for 2007 last February, upon Malacañang s request and its claim that the budget is necessary to combat poverty.

Lacson noted that both houses of Congress approved the budget even before deliberating on the anti-terror bill.

Yet, he noted that Mrs. Arroyo signed the anti-terror bill, or the Human Security Act of 2007, into law first.

Earlier, Lacson voiced concerns that the reenactment of national budgets may give Malacañang a free hand to realign the items in the reenacted budget.

This in turn will open the door to corruption, where public funds are poured or diverted into questionable programs.