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Ni Estong Reyes
PINABORAN ni Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III ang panawagan sa pag-veto sa P450 bilyong sobrang unprogrammed funds sa 2024 national budget na wala sa isinumiteng National Expenditures Program (NEP).
Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Pimentel na kundi ibe-veto ng Palasyo ang sobrang badyet na wala sa NEP, malaki posibilidad na maghain ng petisyon sa Supreme Court hinggil dito.
“The possible remedy is for the president to veto the excess so that the budget will come back to the levels as proposed by the president. But if the president does not do this, therefore we have a case, this can be questioned before the Supreme Court,” ayon kay Pimentel.
Aniya, nakikipag-usap siya ngayon sa ilang abogado hinggil sa Pagkuwestiyon nitosa Mataas na Korte.
Naunang iminungkahi ni dating senator Ping Lacson ang ideya matapos ibulgar ni Pimentel ang pagtaas ng unprogrammed funds sa susunod na badyet mula sa
panukalang ₱281.9 billion hanggang ₱731.4 billion pagkatapos ng bicameral conference.
“The increase is unconstitutional, citing Article 6, Section 25 of the 1987 Constitution, which states, “The Congress may not increase the appropriations recommended by the President for the operation of the Government as specified in the budget. The form, content, and manner of preparation of the budget shall be prescribed by law,” ani Pimentel.
Sinabi ni Pimentel na may dalawang posibilidad na senaryo kapag naisampa ang petisyon sa Supreme Court. “If it sees that the unprogrammed funds are unconstitutional, this item may be vetoed and the government will be operating with a budget amended by the high court. If the court declares the whole budget unconstitutional, the 2023 national spending may be reenacted.”
Inihayag ni Senador Sonny Angara, chairman ng finance committee, na kahit itinaas ang unprogrammed appropriations, nakadepende din ito sa kikitain ng gobyerno sa buwis.
“Standby appropriations can only be implemented if the income will be higher than expected,” ayon kay Angara.
