Andaya threatens to sue Diokno if budget not released for govt salary hike

Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. has threatened to sue Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno if the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) fails to implement a salary increase to government workers by next week.“In case he is too proud to take an advice from a congressman, then we might just see each other in court. I will personally file a case for mandamus in the Supreme Court if the DBM will not implement the salary increase by January 15,” Andaya said yesterday.Andaya, a former Budget secretary, said the DBM has been using “scare tactics” in delaying the approval of the proposed 2019 budget, a move that would affect the release of funds for the salary hike of soldiers, police, teachers and civilian employees of the government.“My advice to Secretary Diokno: Do not make the re-enacted budget as an excuse in not implementing salary increases for our civil servants. The DBM has all the tools in pushing through with the salary increase this year,” he added.In the middle of their clash on certain budget anomalies, Andaya referred to Diokno’s previous statement that the fourth tranche for the salary increase had to wait for approval in the 2019 budget.This came after Congress failed to approve the proposed P3.757tn budget for 2019, leaving the government to operate on a re-enacted budget.“Considering the fact that the cash budget proposal this year is the same as last year, then a re-enacted budget covers the needed funding for the salary increases. The president’s decision to extend the 2018 budget under Joint Resolution 3 also gives the DBM more spending authority,” Andaya said.Diokno has been refuting all the “illusory” allegations by Andaya, including his supposed hand in the “insertion” of P75bn to the funds of the Department of Public Works and Highways to benefit a contractor, which has certain ties with the Budget chief.In 2016, President Benigno Aquino  signed Executive Order 201, which raised the salary of government employees under a four-year programme.In August 2018, Andaya said there was a supposed P121.7bn allocation for the wage hike of civilian and military personnel under the proposed 2019 budget.Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also yesterday said the DBM should not hold “hostage” the salary increase for government employees.“The non-passage of the 2019 national budget is a non-issue in the implementation of the salary increase because the money is there and the authorisation is there,” he added.Drilon said a re-enacted budget could fund the salary increase.Under a re-enacted budget, the DBM said, national government agencies can only spend for staff salaries based on the 2018 level until the budget bill is passed.But Drilon said if the budget was not passed or delayed even further, the DBM could tap some excess funds in the Miscellaneous and Personnel Benefit Fund, or Congress can pass a supplemental budget to augment the budgetary requirement.The minority leader added that the salary increase should be released particularly in the light of the implementation of the second tranche of the excise taxes on petroleum products, which may affect the prices of goods in the market.“I appeal to the DBM to implement the last tranche of the salary increase to help our state workers cope with inflation,” Drilon said.