Malacanang has nothing to do with the so-called ‘blank pages’ in the 2025 national budget, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said on Friday.
“Alisin natin sa consciousness ninyo na kami ay may kinalaman sa mga blank pages na sinasabi ninyo,” Bersamin said at a press conference.
Bersamin emphasized the Executive Branch, including President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., had no role in the supposed blank items in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“That is why we resented the impression that the President was given a blank check,” he added.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte earlier alleged that blank items without specified projects or funding existed in the GAA.
Bersamin categorically denied these claims, calling them “fake news” and accusing critics of trying to falsely implicate the President for filling in these blank pages.
“Kaya namin sinasabi na fake news ‘yan dahil binibintang kay Presidente ‘yung pag-fill up. Even if that is not what they said, that is the impression they want to give to the public, which is very wrong, very malicious,” he stressed.
Bersamin further clarified the Executive Branch “did not benefit at all from the blank spaces that are being circulated.”
Earlier, President Marcos also refuted the claims about blank pages, saying it was impossible for the budget to be passed with blank items.
“Kaya ako I came out with a very strong statement diyan and the President was very blunt also in saying that whatever the former president was saying about this is a lie,” Bersamin remarked.
Bersamin also urged the public to direct their inquiries to Congress regarding the issue.
“Gusto kong malaman ng taumbayan na wala talaga kaming kinalaman diyan. Tanungin ninyo ang mga congressmen, mga senators. And that is all that we can say at this point,” he said. (PND)
