House vows uninterrupted inquiries amid crucial budget hearings

AS it prepares for critical budget hearings, the House of Representatives will continue its committee investigations, including those on extrajudicial killings (EJKs) related to the previous administration’s anti-drug war and violence linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), according to House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Dalipe said that important House inquiries would not be halted even as the legislative body begins next week’s committee deliberations on the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025.

“Kinausap ako kahapon (Monday) ng ilang mga committee chairman natin na gumagawa ng mga hearings and they were asking guidance because usually in the previous years, we would hold all other hearings when the budget is presented to us and we would concentrate on the budget,” Dalipe explained.

However, he noted that committee chairpersons had requested to continue their hearings as they are now in the process of hearing important resource persons and gathering vital information to complete their investigations.

“Hinihingi po ng ating mga committee chairmen na payagan po sila na ipagpatuloy iyong mga committee hearings. Dati po iyong problema natin iyong committee hearing rooms. Parati po tayong nauubusan ng committee hearing rooms pero thank you, this year we have new spaces for committee hearings,” Dalipe added.

The hearings on EJKs are part of an ongoing effort to address allegations of human rights abuses during the anti-drug campaign of the Duterte administration.

The ongoing inquiry by the House Committee on Human Rights aims to uncover the extent of the EJKs and hold accountable those responsible for any violations of human rights.

Similarly, the joint inquiry being conducted by the House Committees on Public Order and Safety and on Games and Amusements into violence linked to POGOs focuses on addressing the increasing incidents of crime and violence associated with these operators.

Concerns have been raised about the involvement of POGOs in illegal activities, including money laundering and human trafficking, prompting the House to take action to ensure the safety and security of the public.

Following the directive from Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, additional spaces, particularly in the new building at the Batasang Pambansa Complex, have been made available for committee use.

Dalipe said that Secretary General Reginald Velasco had already been instructed to make available the other spaces, especially in the new building, to the various committees presently conducting probes.

He said this arrangement allows for parallel hearings, ensuring that both budget deliberations and critical investigations continue without interruption.

“We will allocate the other rooms nearer to the Plenary Hall for budget briefing or budget deliberation and we will also reserve the other new spaces for those committees which have to continue with their investigation, especially dito po iyong ongoing tungkol sa drugs, tungkol doon sa POGO at mga iba pang important issues,” Dalipe said.

The Majority Leader expressed optimism about managing both budget scrutiny and other legislative functions despite concerns about divided attention.

“I don’t see the challenge because if you observe during the Committee on Appropriations hearing, sa sobrang haba ng listahan, may mga congressman naghihintay ng tatlong oras, nakaupo lang walang ginagawa. So, it’s a matter of time management,” he said.

He pointed out that efficient time management would prevent wasted time for congressmen, who can attend other committee hearings and contribute to investigations while waiting for their turn during budget discussions.

“Instead of sitting there ng three hours na magrereklamo siya, naghihintay siya sa sobrang dami ng mga congressman na gustong magtanong, eh we can also do other work with other committees and spend those time by hearing the other measures especially iyong mga investigation and they can just shuttle back and forth between the committee rooms,” Dalipe elaborated.

He said this approach ensures that time is maximized, allowing the House to meet its legislative deadlines without compromising the thoroughness of both budget scrutiny and ongoing investigations.