MANILA – House leaders reassured the public on Friday that the Supreme Court (SC) will find no irregularities in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), following allegations regarding “blank spaces” in the bill.
The SC requested a copy of the enrolled bill ahead of a preliminary conference scheduled for February 28, with oral arguments set for April 1 in Baguio City.
House Assistant Majority Leaders Jude Acidre of the Tingog Party-list and Jil Bongalon of Ako Bicol Party-list expressed confidence that the review would confirm the legitimacy of the budget despite recent challenges to its enactment process.
“I stand by the regularity of the 2025 GAA. It is above board, and we welcome the SC’s request for the enrolled bill,” said Acidre. Bongalon agreed, dismissing the “blank check” allegations and asserting that the SC’s review would clarify any doubts about the budget’s integrity.
The petitioners, including allies of former president Rodrigo Duterte, such as Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab and former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez, have questioned the validity of the budget. They have also claimed difficulty obtaining a copy of the bill, which Bongalon clarified could be requested formally.
House leaders also condemned Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez’s call to suspend Speaker Martin Romualdez and other officials over alleged document falsification, deeming it a distraction from the ongoing impeachment process against the Vice President.
“This is simply an effort to deflect attention from the impeachment process,” Acidre remarked.
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