SC resets anew voting on petitions vs DAP

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) has reset for the second time voting on petitions questioning the constitutionality of President Aquino’s Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

SC spokesman Theodore Te said the DAP petitions were included in the agenda of the justices in their session yesterday but they were not able to come up with a decision.

The high tribunal will try to make a ruling on the controversial case on July 1, an insider said.

The source – a member of the high court – said that not all the justices were ready to cast their vote on the issue of whether or not DAP is constitutional.

The justices tackled the DAP petitions on June 3 but rescheduled voting for another week after some of them asked for more time to decide.

The nine petitions seeking to declare DAP as unconstitutional were filed last year by losing senatorial candidate Greco Belgica; former Iloilo congressman Augusto Syjuco; lawyers Jose Malvar Villegas Jr. and Manuelito Luna; the Philippine Constitution Association; Integrated Bar of the Philippines; militant groups Bayan Muna, Kabataan and Gabriela party-list; Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees, and the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption.

The petitioners alleged that the discretionary fund of the President violates the exclusive power of Congress to appropriate funds – just like in the Priority Development Assistance Fund, which was declared unconstitutional by the high court last year. – With Rhodina Villanueva