MANILA -- Senators on Wednesday slammed House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez for supposedly lying about the Senate's sentiment regarding the ongoing budget impasse.
Suarez claimed that majority of senators, led by Senate committee on finance chairperson Loren Legarda, wanted the budget immediately delivered to President Rodrigo Duterte despite the objection of Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson.
Sotto, in response, described Suarez as a "fabulist" or writer of fables.
"I asked Loren re. (the) statement of Danny Suarez. Well, now I know Danny Suarez is a fabulist," Sotto told reporters in a group message.
In a Twitter post, Legarda cleared out Suarez's allegation, noting that the chamber's members support Sotto's stand on the budget issue.
"We all stand by Senate Pres. Tito Sotto re. the budget. From the start. Unequivocally. Any misinformation is just that. Misinformation," Legarda said.
Senator Panfilo Lacson noted that senators, both in the majority and minority, are "solidly" behind the Senate President.
"Has Cong. Suarez, the House 'company union' minority leader become so desperate for his share of the pork allocation that he now resorts to lying just to get his bounty," Lacson said. (PNA)
