SC urged to stop lump sum funds
MANILA, Philippines–Former Manila City Councilor Greco Belgica on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to stop the disbursement of lump sum discretionary funds “in any national expenditure program.”
“Petitioner respectfully prays that this Honorable Court immediately issue a status quo order preventing the use and disbursement of lump sum discretionary funds … in any national expenditure program, statute or legislation, including General Appropriations Acts,” Belgica said in his 36-page petition.
Greco Belgica. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
Lump-sum items in the P2.6-trillion proposed 2015 national budget reportedly amounted to P500 billion.
With less than a month left in the fiscal year, Belgica also asked the high court to nullify four items in the 2014 GAA: unprogrammed funds, e-Government Fund, Contingent Fund and the Local Government Support Fund.
He explained that the four items have been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in November last year.
When the Supreme Court declared the pork barrel system unconstitutional, it was made clear that lump sum discretionary funds violate the nondelegation clause and the separation of power principle in the Constitution and the power of line item veto by the President, Belgica said.
Article continues after this advertisementBelgica was also a petitioner in the case against the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) known as the pork barrel.
Article continues after this advertisementHe said that while Congress has the power of the purse, the four items in the 2014 GAA give the President the blanket authority to use the said funds.
“The lump sum items tend to give undue advantage to the members of the ruling party as allies of the Chief Executive and is therefore anathema to the democratic process,” Belgica added.
Last week, former Iloilo Representative Augusto Syjuco Jr. has asked the Supreme Court to stop the approval and enactment of the 2015 GAA.
He said there are still lump sum amounts in the National Expenditure Program even if it was already prohibited by the high court.
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