INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Supreme Court (SC) has directed the Palace and both chambers of Congress to submit an original copy of the 2025 General Appropriations Act before its oral arguments on the petition challenging its validity.
In an advisory on Feb. 18 but released publicly a day later, the SC directed the Palace, House of Representatives and Senate to submit an original copy of the 2025 general appropriations bill and its enrolled version no later than Feb. 24 at 12 noon.
This is amid a preliminary conference to be held by the SC on Feb. 28 which stems from a petition, filed by former executive secretary Victor Rodriguez and other Duterte allies, challenging the 2025 GAA amid allegations of irregularities which supposedly violate the 1987 Constitution.
READ: Duterte allies raise budget 鈥榖lanks鈥� in SC petition
During the preliminary conference, the SC only allows two counsels each for Rodriguez, the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Office of the Solicitor General who will be representing Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
鈥淭he Court reserves the right to require the parties to submit other documents after the conduct of the Preliminary Conference,鈥� the SC advisory read.
After the conference, the SC will then hold oral arguments on the said petition on April 1, 2025.
According to the SC, the preliminary issues that will be tackled in the arguments are the following:
- Whether the petitioners have legal standing to sue
- Whether the issues raised involve an actual and justiciable controversy
- Whether the petitioners鈥� direct resort to the court is proper
- Whether the issue of constitutionality is the lis mota (Latin term for cause or motivation of a legal action) of the case
READ: SC asks BSP, DBP, LBP to comment on petition vs Maharlika Investment Fund
Along with the following substantive issues:
- Whether the GAA violates Section 15, Article II of the Constitution in relation to Section 10 to 11 and 37 of the Universal Health Care Act
- Whether the 2025 GAA violates Section 25 (1), Article VI of the Constitution
- Whether the 2025 GAA violates Section 5(5), Article XIV of the Constitution which mandates the highest budgetary priority to be given to education
- Whether the 2025 GAA violates Section 27, Article VI of the Constitution when the members of the Bicameral Conference Committee submitted a report on the GAB with blank items
Meanwhile, apart from the petition challenging the 2025 GAA, the SC is also set to hold oral arguments on the petition seeking the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) to be declared unconstitutional and void on April 22.