Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Wednesday said the administration is ready for the Supreme Court’s decision on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
“The Solicitor General will be prepared to respond to any decision of the Supreme Court,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told Palace reporters.
“If it is favorable to us well then good if it is not favorable to us then we will take the necessary measure to look into it and see what legal remedies we can,” he added.
Lacierda said Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza “pleaded the cases best as he can” and “argued with passion” on behalf of the government.
Jardeleza has asked the high court to dismiss the petition against DAP, arguing that the government had already halted its implementation in mid-2013 because it had allegedly succeeded in pump priming the economy.
Critics have called the DAP “presidential pork” because of its discretionary nature.
Lacierda said the administration of President Benigno Aquino III “continues to respect the independence of the courts.”
He said reports on what the decision is and when it will be announced are still based on speculation.
“The only way we can respond to it legally and with formal effects is to just wait for the decision,” he explained.
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