Manila:Malacañang has expressed its disagreement with the Supreme Court's ruling that declared unprogrammed appropriations in the 2024, 2025, and 2026 national budgets as 'unconstitutional.' The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has been directed to file a motion for reconsideration.
According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the administration believes the Supreme Court has imposed conditions that exceed those set by Congress, rendering unprogrammed appropriations unusable. Castro emphasized the administration's respectful request for the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision, highlighting the directive given to the OSG to submit a motion for reconsideration.
The administration acknowledges the Supreme Court's view that unprogrammed appropriations are not inherently unconstitutional but contends that the ruling's conditions would severely limit their use. Castro explained that since 2015, Congress has permitted the release of unprogrammed funds when collections surpassed targets from at least one specified non-tax revenue source, subject to other legal conditions.
Furthermore, Castro maintained that the Marcos administration has adhered to existing appropriation rules. She argued that the Supreme Court's condition requiring aggregate revenue collections to exceed overall revenue targets before releasing unprogrammed appropriations effectively alters the conditions set by Congress.
In response to whether President Marcos should assume responsibility for signing budgets containing provisions challenged by the high court, Castro asserted that the administration acted within legal boundaries. She stated that there is no basis for holding the President accountable as he was complying with the law.
The Supreme Court's decision invalidated budget provisions related to unprogrammed appropriations and other increases in the 2024 and 2025 General Appropriations Acts. The court also struck down key provisions governing the release of unprogrammed funds under the 2026 budget, clarifying that such appropriations are not unconstitutional per se but must adhere to constitutional limits and safeguards.
Castro declined to comment on Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando's separate opinion that suggested unprogrammed appropriations are susceptible to graft and corruption. She noted that the administration would base its motion on the Supreme Court's actual ruling.
Regarding transparency, Castro affirmed that public officials have an obligation to account for government expenditures from unprogrammed funds in 2024, 2025, and 2026, emphasizing that such information is not confidential and should be available to the public.
