MANILA, Philippines – Government lawyers have urged the Supreme Court to dismiss a petition challenging the constitutionality of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last December.
The Solicitor General, Menardo Guevarra, called the petition “without merit” and criticized it as an attempt to delay a law crucial to national progress and public welfare.
In a February 27 filing, made public Friday, Guevarra described the petition as having “fatal procedural defects.”
The petition was filed by Davao Representative Isidro Ungab and former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, who claimed violations of the 1987 Constitution regarding blank items in the bicameral conference committee report of the 2025 budget.
These blanks, particularly for the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Department of Agriculture, and Philippine Coconut Authority, were cited as potential dangers to the budget’s clarity and effectiveness.
The petitioners argued that the unfilled sections in the report, which included significant amendments to the General Appropriations Bill, were dubious and posed risks as crucial budget allocations remained undetermined.
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