NANINDIGAN si Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, co-chair ng House Infrastructure Committee, nitong Martes laban sa mga alegasyong ang nakaraang Kongreso ay sangkot sa isang “grand conspiracy” kaugnay ng umano’y P1.45 trilyong budget insertions.

Ayon kay Ridon, anumang paratang ng sabwatan ay dapat suportado ng tiyak na ebidensya, hindi basta blanket accusations.

Si Ridon, na siya ring chair ng House committee on public accounts, ay tumutugon sa mga komentaryong nagsasabing ang naturang insertions “could not have happened without the knowledge and consent” nina dating Speaker Martin Romualdez at dating Senate President Chiz Escudero, at na ang mga mambabatas umano’y pumayag na huwag kuwestiyunin ang badyet kapalit ng kanilang sariling amendments.

“Without actual evidence, this is a dangerous assertion,” ani Ridon. “Accountability and actual criminal charges do not operate on ‘they must have known’ allegations.”

Dagdag pa niya, anumang sinasabing pakikipagsabwatan ay dapat ipakita sa pamamagitan ng actual line items na iminungkahi o ipinagtanggol nina dating Senate President Escudero at dating Speaker Romualdez.

Binigyang-diin ni Ridon na lahat ng nakaraang budget bills ay dumaan sa parehong proseso: mula sa committee hearings, plenary debates, bicameral conference committee, hanggang sa ratipikasyon ng dalawang kapulungan.

“If the former Speaker, the former Senate President, or any member of Congress abused their power, then we should show the insertions, show the project history and implementation, and file the proper cases for ghost or substandard projects,” aniya.

“But if the whole theory is ‘it’s a big number so they must all be guilty,’ that’s not accountability. That’s guesswork,” giit ni Ridon.