Former Senator Grace Poe appeared before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the body created by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to investigate alleged irregularities in flood control projects linked to the annual national budget process.
Poe chaired the Senate Committee on Finance, which drafted the controversial 2025 national budget.
This marked one of Poe’s rare public appearances since the end of her Senate term.
During her appearance, Poe denied being part of the so-called “small committee,” which, according to Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, was where “milagros” or questionable budget insertions allegedly took place.
“I am not privy to that, wala akong sinalihan na small committee, o closed door meeting with my counterpart in the House,” Poe told reporters.
She explained that budget amendments introduced by both chambers are finalized in the bicameral conference committee, in close coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
“Lahat naman ng mga sinasabing amendments na-ratify ng both houses during the final bicam process and as far as the Senate’s amendments are concerned, it was presented and coordinated with the DBM also. They were aware of it, because we wanted to make sure that this was possible in terms of the categories that were allowable to amend,” she added.
Poe’s appearance came a day after Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson also met with the ICI to explain the budget drafting process.
Sotto earlier described the post-bicam insertions as “illegal,” while Lacson branded them the “original sin.”