Marcos Denounces Duterte’s ‘Blank Checks’ Claims in 2025 Budget as Fabrications

In a recent statement, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. firmly rejected former President Rodrigo Duterte’s accusations that the proposed 2025 national budget contained ‘blank checks.’ Speaking at a media event in Taguig City, Marcos labeled Duterte’s claims as outright lies, asserting that such practices are not permissible in the General Appropriations Act (GAA). Marcos emphasized that throughout Philippine history, the GAA has never included items without specified projects or funding details, a fact he believes Duterte, as a former president, should be well aware of. He challenged the public to review the 2025 budget on the Department of Budget and Management’s website to verify his claims. In response, Duterte and Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab had alleged in a podcast that 13 pages of the budget contained blank appropriations, hinting at a scheme for future allocations. However, Malacañang and the DBM refuted these claims, clarifying that the pages in question were from the Bicameral Conference Committee Report, not the GAA or the General Appropriations Bill. The DBM urged the public to verify information before spreading potentially harmful misinformation, stressing the importance of accurate communication for national unity.