[News] Palace hits ex-president, cohorts for fake news on 2025 budget

[Rimuru]

The Philippine News Agency (PNA) published an article on January 20, 2025, titled "Palace hits ex-president, cohorts for fake news on 2025 budget". The article addresses claims made by supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte that the 2025 national budget contains blank sections, suggesting a "blank check" scheme for future allocations. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin strongly refutes these claims, calling them "fake news" and emphasizing that the budget underwent thorough review by Congress and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Bersamin asserts that the 2025 budget, spanning over 4,000 pages, was meticulously scrutinized line-by-line to ensure accuracy and prevent discrepancies. He challenges the claims by inviting the public to review the budget on the DBM website, stating that the printed figures debunk the allegations of deliberate blanks. The article concludes with Bersamin urging the former president's camp to act responsibly and stop spreading falsehoods. He emphasizes that the General Appropriations Act (GAA) should not contain blank items and that the claims are "outrightly malicious and should be condemned as criminal."

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1242123