MANILA – Senate President Francis Escudero has once again dismissed accusations of irregularities in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), describing them as unfair and overlooking the rigorous legislative process that both houses of Congress, along with their staff, underwent to finalize the budget.

Escudero’s comments came in response to a petition filed with the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the constitutionality of specific provisions in the GAA. The petitioners, led by former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez and other former government officials, argue that certain budget allocations violate legal principles and should be invalidated.

In a press briefing on Tuesday (28 Jan 2025), Escudero emphasized that the accusations failed to acknowledge the comprehensive work done by lawmakers and their staff.

“For me, that is an unfair comment and accusation, especially considering the extensive work put into it, not only by the chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the Senate and the House of Representatives, but also the staff,” Escudero said.

The Senate President also noted that the legal challenge reflects the increasingly heated political environment, where government actions are heavily scrutinized and litigated. “That is a sign of how intense politics is in our country, but it’s also part of our democratic system. It should not be feared or avoided,” Escudero added.

While acknowledging that government officials should remain accountable to public scrutiny, Escudero pointed out that any disputes over the budget should ultimately be resolved in the courts.

The petition names the House of Representatives, the Senate of the Philippines, and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin as respondents.

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MANILA — Senate President Francis Escudero has urged his colleagues to maintain impartiality amid the filing of an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte in the House of Representatives.

In a statement Tuesday (03 Dec 2024), Escudero reminded lawmakers of their constitutional duty to ensure fairness should the Senate act as an impeachment court.

He cautioned that any bias could undermine the integrity of the impeachment process, which serves as a mechanism for holding high-ranking officials accountable.

“While impeachment is often described as a political exercise, it is crucial that members of the Senate approach it with the impartiality and objectivity demanded of us,” Escudero stated.

Acknowledging the divisive nature of impeachment proceedings, Escudero called on legislators to focus on urgent legislative work, particularly with the 2025 midterm elections approaching. He emphasized the need to prioritize governance over political controversies.

“May mga pangangailangan ang ating mga kababayan. Kung may impeachment man o wala, hindi ito puwedeng pabayaan (Our people have needs. Whether there is impeachment or not, it cannot be neglected),” Escudero said, underscoring the Senate’s commitment to addressing national issues and enacting vital laws for the welfare of Filipinos.

The Senate President assured the public that the legislative body remains steadfast in its mission to serve and strengthen the nation, regardless of the outcome of the impeachment case.

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By Dang Samson Garcia

SENATOR Francis Escudero on Wednesday thanked his colleagues for supporting the 12 higher education-related bills filed, including the establishment of additional five public medical schools around the country.

The Senate has approved on second reading the dozen bills that emanated from Escudero’s Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education.

No one interpellated the measures and the veteran legislator was able to introduce all the proposed amendments.

The approved bills are now to be scheduled for their third and final reading.

“We are now a step away towards the realization of our goal of offering medical courses in various parts of the country to meet the health needs of Filipinos,” Escudero said, noting that the country was 114,000 short of doctors even before the Covid19 pandemic hit, based on data from the Department of Health.

The challenge today, he said, is not only addressing the shortage but also the future increases in population.

“Even if our population increase will decelerate and stabilize at 1.5 million a year, this would still have to be matched with new entrants to the medical profession,” Escudero said.

Approved on second reading are the bills that would allow the establishment of College of Medicine in Benguet State University; Southern Luzon State University; University of Eastern Philippines in Northern Samar; Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University in La Union; and Visayas State University in Southern Leyte.

The Senate likewise passed on second reading yesterday the bills that would allow the creation of veterinary schools at the Bicol University in Ligao, Albay and the Southern Luzon State University-Catanauan Campus in Quezon province.