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SEN. Francis Escudero yesterday resigned as chairman of the powerful Senate Committee on Finance and as co-chairman of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Public Expenditures because he was planning on seeking higher public office next year.

Escudero tendered his letter of resignation effective immediately to Senate President Franklin Drilon to keep the upcoming budget deliberations free from politics.

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“I believe that it behooves me to step down at this juncture to ensure that deliberations on the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) – considered the single most important piece of legislation passed by Congress each year – are untainted by suspicions or perceptions of partisan politics,” Escudero told Drilon.

“It is, Mr. President, what propriety requires; it is, I believe, what our people expect from us all: delicadeza,” he said.
Escudero stepped down as chairman of the two panels as Malacanang submitted to Congress yesterday the proposed P3.002-trillion GAB for 2016.

According to Escudero, public pronouncements regarding his possible candidacy for higher office dictate that he should give up the two powerful finance panels and spare the budget deliberation from possible misperception that he may use it to further his own political plans and actions.

Escudero and Sen. Grace Poe are being eyed as vice presidential and presidential candidates of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), respectively.

Escudero and Poe, however, have yet to announce their plans for the 2016 elections. Poe and Escudero are the top favorites in the presidential and vice presidential surveys. (pna)

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