Palace: Don't blame us if DAP hearings delayed until 2017

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang denied on Monday that it was employing delaying tactics when it asked the Supreme Court (SC) to again defer the oral arguments on the constitutionality of the controversial Disbursement Allocation Program (DAP).

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), which represents the government, has a reason for filing a motion to postpone the oral arguments.

"Haharapin naman talaga ng ating pamahalaan yung mga isyu diyan so that should not be a concern for us," Lacierda said at a televised press briefing.

Last week, the OSG asked the high court to reset the second round the oral arguments on nine petitions questioning the constitutionality of the DAP.

Representing Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad in the case, the OSG, told the high court that it would not be ready with its defense and sought to reset the deliberations from Jan. 28 to March 25.

Read: Palace asks SC to reset oral arguments on DAP

A report from another broadsheet said SC Justice Arturo Brion had expressed his dismay over the new postponement and mockingly suggested that "maybe we should continue the oral arguments in 2017."

Lacierda said Malacañang respects the opinion of SC magistrate.

But he added that the Palace should not be blamed if the debates will be delayed since it is the high court which sets and reschedules its hearings.

"So huwag sanang ibintang sa amin... huwag sanang sabihing kami ang may kasalanan baka hanggang 2017 [ang oral arguments]" Lacierda said.

"It is not us who will set the calendar for the Supreme Court. It is always the supreme court who will determine when these concerns will be heard," Lacierda said. "What we only asked was a resetting and it is also their discretion when they will reset the hearing."

He also denied that the move of the OSG to defer the oral arguments signifies that the government has a weak case.