Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros has issued a clarification regarding the controversy over alleged bicam insertions in last year’s national budget.
In a Facebook post on Friday, October 3, Hontiveros stressed that she neither had bicam insertions nor signed the 2025 national budget.
“Wala po akong bicam insertions. Wala sa unprogrammed funds. PERIOD. Isa pa, HINDI AKO PUMIRMA sa bicam at bumoto rin ng NO sa kontrobersyal na 2025 budget,” she said.
The senator also urged the public not to believe in fake news and disinformation.
“Lahat ng iminungkahi kong amyenda sa budget ay dumaan sa tamang proseso at inaprubahan ng Senado!” Hontiveros added.
She was joined by then-Senate minority member, former Senator Koko Pimentel, in refusing to sign the 2025 national budget.
The bicam committee report had been hounded by controversy after allegations surfaced that former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co had inserted additional allocations into the 2025 budget.