SC postpones DAP oral argument
Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza. INQUIRER PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court has ordered the Department of Budget and Management to disclose all the sources of funds used for the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
In a six page resolution, the high court also gave the DBM to submit on or before Jan. 21, 2014 a list of the uses of DAP per project or activity as well as site the legal bases for it.
“The Court imposes the following condition for the postponement…The Department of Budget and Management shall furnish to the Court on or before Jan. 21, 2014 a list of all sources of funds brought under the DAP and the uses of such funds pursuant to DAP per project or activity and the legal bases thereof,” the high court’s resolution which was released Monday stated.
The high court’s order came following the letter submitted by former Iloilo Representative Augusto Syjuco Jr. asking the high court to compel the DBM to disclose all the sources of DAP funds.
Syjuco wrote the high court after Budget Secretary Abad said they couldn’t make a disclosure due to the pending case before the high court.
Syjuco, in his letter, told the high court that “without disclosure of where the sources of funds or savings emanated from, and where the appropriations of such funds went to, on DAP projects, the cases we filed cannot be appropriately adjudicated by this Honorable tribunal.”
The high court has already rescheduled the oral argument from Dec. 10 to Jan. 28 upon request of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Both Houses of Congress told the high court, in its request that they want to get their own lawyers and not rely on the Office of the Solicitor-General.
The high court gave the Legislative branch 10 days from receipt of the resolution to notify the Supreme Court of the name of their lawyers.
Part 2 of the oral argument was supposed to take place on Dec. 10 with Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza defending DAP’s legality.
Tuesday’s oral argument was supposed determine on whether a temporary restraining order will be issued to stop its further use.
There are nine petitions questioning the legality of DAP. Petitioners include Augusto Syjuco Jr., the other petitioners against DAP are the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage), lawyers Jose Malvar Villegas Jr. and Manuelito Luna; the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa); the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP); the militant Bayan Muna, Kabataan and Gabriela party-list groups; and Christian sects led by Greco Belgica.
Respondents in almost all the petitions are President Benigno S. Aquino III, Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, Speaker Feliciano R. Belmonte Jr. of the House of Representatives, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad, Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima, and National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon.
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