MONDAY JANUARY 6, 2O2OI
PAO up inarms
over budget cut
By Rio N Araja
iN A last-ditch effort, close to 200 law-
yers and other pe$onnel fiom the Publib
Attomey's Office are appealing to Presi-
dent Rodrigo Duterte (o veto an inser-
tion in the 2020 General Appropriations
Act slashing the Plg's-million budget
for its Forensic Laboratory Division.
In a nine-page lettel the PAO lawyers
"pJeaded to President Duterte to use his
veto powers and VETO the GAA for
2020 with regard to tbe special provi-
sion inserrcd by the congressional mi-
nority, led by (Albay) Rep. Edcel Lag-
man and (lloilo) Rep. Janette Garin on
Next'dge
\ fiaorJr pAq€,,
PAO...
Frcm Al
the limitation imposed on PAO's use
of maintenance and other operating
expenses. This provision prohibits
PAO ftom using its MOOE budget in
the operation of the Forensic Labora-
torv Division."
.Duterte is set to sign the 2020 GAA's
P4. 1 -trillion national budget this Mon-
dav
iw., th. l"*Y"ttand staff of the
join
PAO nationwide, this extremely
urgent request," the letter read.
The PAO apPealed to Duterte to re-
store the P19.5-million budget cut in
the agency budget for year 2020 when
he signs the 2020 General Appropria-
tions measure into law.
The budeet cut of P19.5 million in
PAO's budlet was initiated by the so-
called "Yellow lawmakers" led by op-
-posftio'n Senator Franklin Drilon. The
amount is intended for the agency's
budeet for its Forensic Laboratory and
Eq,iipment. particularly for the poor
litigants in its Dengvaxia crusade and
other cases.
The sisnatories oftlie letter slammed
Lasman-and Carin, saying the "insert-
ed': provision was a violation of the
Conatitution and existing laws, such
as Republic Act 9?45 or the Anti-Tor-
ture Act, as well as th€ Dec. 12, 2017
Department of Justice memorandum
order directing PAO "to assist pos-
sible Dengvaxia deaths, injuries and
illnesses."
PAO riraintained the DOJ memo
was "still standing and had not been
revoked."
tt quesdoned its budget cut. saying it
was also a "violation ofthe equal pro-
tection clause ofthe 1987 Constitution
(Anicle 3 Section 1)."
"Whv onlv t}|e PAO Forensic Labo-
ratorv. whv not the Commission on
Human Rights forensic. too? Why dis-
criminate the PAO clients, which have
conflicts with the. Philippine National
Police, National Iiureau of Investiga-
tion or CHR [itselfl?" PAO said'
' With ReY E. Requejo