Palace ready to accept adverse decision from SC

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday said it would be ready to accept the decision of the Supreme Court on its motion for reconsideration on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), be it favorable or adverse.

“We have accepted a number of decisions that were adverse to us,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a televised press briefing.

He said among these was the high court’s decision to abolish the Philippine Truth Commission, which was created by Executive Order no. 1 in 2010, for singling out the administration of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“A number of decisions have been adverse to us so we have always respected the decision of the Supreme Court,” Lacierda said.

He said the filing of the MR itself meant that Malacañang respected the judicial process and institution.

“We are a government of laws not of men. They have the mandate to decide what the law is and for that particular reason, we have chosen to avail of the remedy of filing a motion for reconsideration that implicitly and explicitly acknowledges that we respect the processes and the institutions,” the spokesperson said.

President Benigno Aquino III himself said that people had cautioned him against assailing the Supreme Court decision, especially since it was unanimous against DAP with only one justice abstaining.

At that time he said, “We had also been warned that pushing through with this motion might put us in greater danger. My message to the Supreme Court: We do not want two equal branches of government to go head to head, needing a third branch to step in to intervene.”

His spokespersons, however, downplayed the comment, saying Aquino meant no disrespect.

Lacierda insisted that the DAP was implemented in good faith and had benefited the Filipino people.

RELATED STORIES

Aquino vs Judiciary?

Escudero, Poe on Aquino’s defense of DAP: The law is the law