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Malaca?ang warned on Friday it would ignore future invitations by the House of Representatives or there could be a walkout from a hearing if any congressman would again be disrespectful to any of guest from the executive branch.

This as at least eight Cabinet members and other officials hit the House for the "disrespect and utter lack of courtesy" to Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno during the "Question Hour" on the proppsed P3.757 trillion budget for 2019 last Tuesday.

"It is incumbent upon Congress to accord utmost respect, show sobriety and observe the demands of ethical refinements when inviting officials from the other branches of government in their committee hearings," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing.

He noted Congress invites officials as resource persons to shed light on issues of national concern it hopes to hear and understand "akin to when the Palace calls on the honorable leaders and members of Congress."

"The Palace accordingly hopes that there would be no repeat of the recent incidence at the House of Representatives involving our Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno. This unparliamentary behavior has no place in the hallowed grounds of Congress where members are referred to as ‘Honorable’ as they represent their districts or sectors," he said.

"There is no honor in browbeating a fellow worker and officer in government. We will not allow a similar incident from taking place," Panelo stressed.

Asked on what the Palace would do to prevent similar incident from happening, Panelo said, "Well, we have many options?or let’s say two options: one, we will decline any invitation if we feel that they will be repeating the same kind of treatment that a member of [Cabinet] would suffer in the process; number two, we will go there if invited but the moment any sign of disrespect is given a member of the Cabinet, we will excuse ourselves and beg leave from that committee hearing."

During the Question Hour, some lawmakers, particulay Minority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr., berated Diokno, especially on the P75 billion adjusted budget for the Department of Public Works and Highways, which allegedly has without the knowledge of Secretary Mark Villar.

The House also questioned Diokno on the supposed contractor who was able to bag huge contracts in government, including in Sorsogon.

Diokno's daughter's parents-in-law will run for local posts in the Bicol province in the 2019 polls.

All of these were contained in a House resolution, which came out on the next day after the Question Hour, urging President Rodrigo Duterte to remove Diokno in the Cabinet.

Diokno, in his regular forum on Wednesday, denied any irregularity, saying that his office only approves budget according to the agency's proposal.

"We do not scrutinize line by line because we do not have the technical expertise. We do not examine every project that's listed there...that's the job of DPWH," Diokno has said.

Duterte also rejected the House resolution.

Eight Cabinet members and other officials submitted separate memoranda for the President, expressing their support to Diokno, while hitting some lawmakers.

The officials include Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Pe?a, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo A?o, and Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and CEO Vivencio Dizon.

"“To use a congressional process to bombard Secretary Diokno with preconceived questions and answers in aid not of legislation but of persecution and excoriating him with baseless allegations is a mockery of standard democratic procedures. The fact that the resolution was swiftly approved and submitted the day after indicates that these series of acts was politically motivated and reeks of power play and ill purposes," the uniform memoranda read.

“We have carefully examined the records and conclude that Secretary Diokno’s actions have all been legitimate and in interest of the nation, and we believe in and vouch for Secretary Diokno’s honestly, integrity and competence, and we stand by him and trust the wisdom of the President," the officials said.

Asked if the Cabinet officials' stand supporting Diokno was also Duterte's position, Panelo said, "Yes. It’s the same stand of the President. The President?if you recall, the President has already made statements on that. That he will not allow any member of the Cabinet or any member of the military, our policemen, officials who were invited in a committee hearing to be treated with disrespect. After all, we are all workers of the government and under the payroll of the people of the Philippines."

He hoped that what happened to Diokno was an isolated case and would not happrn again.

"Well, I think, it’s still cordial. Hopefully these incidents are isolated and it will not be repeated. And I think, it will not be repeated," he said of the relationship now between the Palace and the House. Celerina Monte/DMS