Senate President Francis Escudero 鈥擯hoto from the Senate
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Senate, through Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, will be able to justify the legality of the 2025 national budget before the Supreme Court.
Speaking at a 鈥淜apihan sa Manila Bay鈥� forum on Wednesday, Senate President Francis Escudero said he was confident of this.
To explain the reason behind his stand, he said in a mix of English and Filipino: 鈥淭he bicam report is clear. We authorized the finance committee and appropriations committee to fill in any gaps, to make any corrections given that the budget bill consists of over 200,000 lines. And not because there are blanks we will return to the bicam.鈥�
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鈥淪o that authority was given within the parameters of the delegated authority given by the bicam to the respective House and Senate committee,鈥� he added.
According to Escudero, the Supreme Court鈥檚 goal is not to infringe upon the power of Congress to settle the national funding but to ensure that the process was done right.
Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo earlier confirmed that there were blank items in the bicameral conference committee report on the 2025 national budget, but she clarified these were only for the final computation of the amendments made.
In relation to this, Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab and former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez filed a petition before the Supreme Court questioning the alleged blank items in the 2025 budget plan.
For his part, Escudero said oral arguments on the legality of the 2025 national funding were scheduled for April 1.