By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
MANILA — Bisaya Gyud Partylist First Nominee Greco Belgica on Monday (Feb. 10) said that the “power of the purse” was given to Congress and not to the Members of Congress.
During the Balitaan sa Tinapayan Media Forum hosted by Radyo Pilipinas reporter Lorenz Tanjoco and NPC Director Benedict Abaygar, Jr., Belgica said that he was convinced by the Bisaya Guud Partylist as the First Nominee and the Chairman of the Party.
Belgica spoke to his family and to former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte about the offer of the Bisaya Gyud Partylist and they agreed for him to run as the First Nominee of the Bisaya Gyud Partylist and the Party Chairman.
If elected in the 20th Congress, Belgica assured that his office and his house will be open to all those who would seek help and assistance from him and he would do everything in his powers to be able to be of help to many Filipinos.
Belgica noted that the Supreme Court (SC) has prohibited or disallowed the “lump sum”: or “pork barrel” system in the Legislative Branch of the government.
In the Belgica case, he said, the SC said that the “power of the purse” was given to the Congress and not to the Members of Congress.
“The Belgica ruling (of the SC) should be implemented,” he added.
He added that it could not be that the ones who appropriated the money or budget, would also be the ones who will disburse it.
Belgica said that the Central Bank has been printing new treasury bills, which will mean, the value of the peso will depreciate in the process because of the “dole outs”.
He added that the money or “dole out” can be accepted, but the individuals should vote wisely, noting that the “dole outs’ will not make you rich such that no country has ever become wealthy because of “dole outs”.
Belgica stressed that the Finance and the Admin cannot be “one in the disbursement of money”, which he termed as “pork barrel”. He was referring to a video presented during the Balitaan sa Tinapayan which showed that about 1,000 people gathered in a covered court in Paranaque City where the amount of P1 million was distributed to them and another big amount of money was given for “raffle”.
“Sir, masaya nangyayari dito,” Belgica cited a text message from a concerned citizen from Paranaque City during the same event.
Belgica said that the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte is a “political process”. “The problem is why it was done fast. If their intention was clean, why they did not give Vice President Duterte the chance to explain,” he said.
“Her refusal to answer, was her answer. She was voted into office by 32 million Filipinos,” he said.
“I have no first-hand information,” Belgica said, when asked whether or not President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. had a hand in the impeachment of Vice President Duterte.
Vice President Duterte was impeached by 215 Members of the House of Representatives for alleged betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, and graft and corruption, among others.
The Articles of Impeachment were filed in the Senate of the Philippines on Feb. 5, 2025, or six days before the start of the campaign for national candidates in the May 12, 2025 midterm elections.
The campaign for national candidates will start on Feb. 11, 2025.
According to Belgica, many Filipinos have voted Sara Duterte and Partylist groups as well, whom they believed supported the war on drugs of the Duterte administration, but eventually changed minds and were included in the 215 who signed in the impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte.
“There should have been a hearing to get the side of Vice President Duterte. They should have given her (Sara) the chance to explain on the alleged grounds for her impeachment,” Belgica said.
“We need to create jobs in order to provide Filipinos the opportunity to earn a living. The Filipinos should take this at heart that by May 12, 2025, they should vote whoever they think are fit and not corrupt,” he added.
Belgica recalled that he had been in the government service for 25 years “in and out” and it seems that the Bisaya have been left behind.
He vowed that the Bisaya Gryud Partylist would put up the “Business global island and global island city’ which would create 7 million jobs for the Bisaya and for the whole country, and may even result in the importation of jobs.
Belgica explained that the business global island and global island city will have no red tape, graft and corruption, where the Visayas will be the center of business not only for the people, but for the community, the church where 7 million jobs for the Bisaya.
A Manila global city will also be established whoever gets elected as Mayor of Manila in the May 12, 2025 midterm elections.
Belgica would strengthen and intensify the fight against crime and corruption.
