Senate finance committee approves DoJ 2018 budget

THE Senate Committee on Finance has approved the P17 billion budget of the Department of Justice (DoJ) after postponing deliberations on the department’s funding on Aug. 17.

The process was almost derailed when Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes threatened to defer the budget approval due to the previous statements made by the DoJ Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre.

During the hearing, Mr. Trillanes showed the committee media reports quoting Mr. Aguirre allegedly linking Mr. Trillanes to the threat on the life of a New Bilibid Prison inmate caught up in the investigation into Sen. Leila M. De Lima.

In addition, Sen. Franklin M. Drilon questioned Mr. Aguirre on statements he allegedly made in relation to the Liberal Party and the parents of slain 17-year old student Kian Lloyd Delos Santos. Mr. Aguirre denied making the statement. Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance Senator Loren B. Legarda reminded Mr. Trillanes that “this is a budget hearing.”

She also said that most of the issues that Mr. Trillanes presented were tackled during Mr. Aguirre’s confirmation as Secretary of the DoJ during the Commission on Appointments deliberations.

“But this is in relation to the performance by the Department of Justice and by the Secretary,” Mr. Trillanes said.

Ms. Legarda then reminded Mr. Aguirre to be “more responsible” with his statements before finally approving the DoJ budget.

The P17.276 billion budget is 0.46% of the proposed national budget. —