President Aquino: Not above the law. Benhur Arcayan\/ Malaca\u00f1ang Photo Bureau<\/p>\n

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MANILA, Philippines–After all is said and done, Malaca\u00f1ang will abide by the Supreme Court decision declaring the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as unconstitutional.<\/p>\n\n

That\u2019s the assurance the Palace made on Thursday, even if President Aquino himself had heavily criticized the magistrates, who were unanimous in junking his so-called economic stimulus program.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma replied in a press briefing, saying also that the President was not above the law. \u201cHe is not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

\u201cWe are a government of laws and not of men. Of course, we will accept the decision like we accepted the other decisions [of the Supreme Court] under this administration,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n

Coloma said the executive branch might file a motion for reconsideration today, a day before the end of the 15-day period provided by law for its submission.<\/p>\n\n

The President alarmed both critics and constitutionalists after he rejected the high court\u2019s 13-0 ruling against the DAP, the brainchild of Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.<\/p>\n\n

At the Daylight Dialogue on Tuesday, he said he found it \u201cdifficult to accept their decision when I know that we are right and, more importantly, that doing nothing means depriving so many Filipinos of opportunities to grow and prosper.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Downplaying defiance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Coloma sought to downplay Aquino\u2019s defiance as well as the President\u2019s threat of a \u201ccollision\u201d between the executive branch and the judiciary over the decision.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cThere may be interpretations on how they may have viewed the President\u2019s demeanor. There are those who are saying that he seemed defiant or arrogant. But to us, there was neither defiance nor arrogance, just compliance with judicial due process,\u201d Coloma said.<\/p>\n\n

In separate speeches last Monday and Tuesday, the President said a clash with the Supreme Court might require the \u201cintervention\u201d of the legislature, which he apparently controls.<\/p>\n\n

Asked how the Palace would want the matter resolved, Coloma said: \u201cThat\u2019s why our government is seeking reconsideration because it considers the welfare of Juan de la Cruz, that a decision such as the one on the DAP might keep the executive branch from executing and implementing projects.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Goods on magistrates<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

If the Supreme Court eventually rejects the motion, Coloma said the executive branch \u201cwill follow the decision.\u201d He said the 13-0 ruling against the DAP would have \u201cno material consideration\u201d in the motion.<\/p>\n\n

In his televised address on Monday, the President indicated that he also had the goods on the magistrates. \u201cThere was something that you did in the past, which you tried to do again, and there are those who are saying that this is worse,\u201d he said without elaborating.<\/p>\n\n

In its 2012 Annual Audit Report of the Supreme Court released last week, the Commission on Audit questioned why the magistrates declared a total of P3.2 billion in savings even if it had standing obligations during that period.<\/p>\n\n

Aquino\u2019s allies in the House of Representatives also threatened this week to scrutinize the Judiciary Development Fund, dubbed the high tribunal\u2019s own pork barrel.<\/p>\n\n

Coloma sought to distance the Palace from such a move, saying: \u201cI don\u2019t know of any participation by the executive regarding that matter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

He said the executive had no intention to \u201cresbak\u201d (revenge) against the Supreme Court. \u201cThat is not in our vocabulary,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After all is said and done, Malaca\u00f1ang will abide by the Supreme Court decision declaring the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as unconstitutional.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":619844,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,45],"tags":[1987,6268,206124],"byline":[185],"source":[206078],"column":[],"editor":[],"videographer":[],"position":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n