Supreme Court Reschedules Oral Arguments
The Supreme Court has postponed the oral arguments regarding the petition challenging the constitutionality of the 2025 General Appropriations Act. This decision came after the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) requested a consolidation and resetting of the hearing dates.
Originally, the oral arguments were scheduled for May 19 to address the petition filed by former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez. The petition seeks to declare the P6.326 trillion national budget for 2025 unconstitutional.
In a notice dated May 6, the Court announced that the oral arguments will now be held at “a later date, subject to further notice from the Court.” This change reflects the OSG’s motion, which asked the Court to consolidate Rodriguez’s petition with those filed by the 1Sambayan Coalition and the Teacher’s Dignity Coalition. The OSG also requested rescheduling the arguments to May 27 or any date thereafter.
Motion for Consolidation and Clarification
Alongside the motion for consolidation and resetting, the OSG filed a motion for clarification. They sought to clarify whether Senator Grace Poe and Marikina Representative Stella Quimbo will attend the oral arguments as chairs of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Committee on Appropriations, respectively, or if they will participate only as resource persons.
Petitioners’ Claims Against the 2025 General Appropriations Act
Besides Vic Rodriguez, the petitioners include Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab and several private individuals. They argue that the 2025 General Appropriations Act violates the constitution in several ways.
First, the petitioners claim the budget failed to allocate mandatory funding for PhilHealth. They also contend that the law unlawfully increased appropriations beyond what the President initially proposed. Furthermore, they assert that the budget prioritizes infrastructure spending over education and contains blank items in the bicameral conference committee report.
Next Steps for the 2025 General Appropriations Act Case
The Supreme Court will announce the new date for the oral arguments after reviewing the motions. The consolidation of multiple petitions aims to streamline the judicial process and address overlapping issues within the 2025 General Appropriations Act challenges.
As the case progresses, observers are closely watching how the Court will rule on the constitutionality of the national budget and its allocations.
For more updates on the 2025 General Appropriations Act, visit Filipinokami.com.