Marcos must be held accountable for SC ruling on previous budgets – solon

MANILA, Philippines — ACT Teachers party-list Antonio Tinio on Thursday believes that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. must be held accountable for implementing the 2024, 2025 and 2026 national budgets.

His remark comes following the declaration of the Supreme Court (SC) that there are certain provisions that are unconstitutional. 

In its decision, SC said Congress committed grave abuse of discretion by increasing national budgets beyond the president’s recommended appropriations. 

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The high tribunal declared unconstitutional Congress’s increase of unprogrammed appropriations (UA) by P449.5 billion in the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the increase of the Special Road Fund by P17.992 billion in the 2025 GAA, and Special Provisions 1(a) and (b) under the 2026 GAA. 

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READ: SC: ‘Bloated’ unprogrammed funds in nat’l budget ‘unconstitutional’

Tinio made the remark in response to Palace press officer Claire Castro’s statement on Wednesday that Marcos did not violate any laws in signing the budgets.

Castro also said the chief executive should not be held liable for complying with existing laws. 

The SC clarified that UAs are not inherently unconstitutional, as these serve as contingent spending authority that may be tapped when specified conditions are met.

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Castro also noted that Marcos Jr. simply followed the policy Congress has allowed since 2015 – releasing funds when collections from at least one identified non-tax revenue exceeds its target.

However, Tinio said that Marcos has the authority to sign or veto the proposed budget bills, including the line-item veto power to scrutinize the budget properly. 

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“It is clear that President Marcos Jr. failed because the two budget bills that he signed were declared unconstitutional,” he said in an online briefing.

“And unconstitutional provisions continue to prevail in 2026 in relation to unprogrammed appropriations and prohibited lump sum,” he pointed out.

READ: SolGen to appeal SC ruling declaring 2024, 2025 budgets unconstitutional

Tinio also stressed that Marcos is “directly responsible” for the SC’s decision, noting that the president must approve every release of UA. 

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“The president definitely must face accountability for implementing the unconstitutional budgets of 2024 and 2025 that are directly associated with flood control corruption,” he added. /apl