Supreme Court urged to declare 2025 budget unconstitutional

MANILA, Philippines — Former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez filed a petition before the Supreme Court on Monday, January 27, challenging the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

In his petition, he called the budget "illegal and criminal," asking the high court to declare the GAA unconstitutional.

“Inscribed in the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines are the following constitutional directives which shall serve as a guidepost in this instant Petition for Certiorari, and were blatantly violated by the passage of Republic Act No. 12116 which must be struck down as unconstitutional through this honorable Supreme Court's power of judicial review,” Rodriguez’s petition read. 

"The 2025 GAA violated Article VI, Section 27 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines when the members of the Bicameral Conference Committee signed and submitted a Report on the 2025 General Appropriations Bill with blanks," it added.

In the petition, Rodriguez cited his former boss, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as a respondent, along with both chambers of Congress.

Rodriguez pointed out the blanks in the budget, which he said constitute a blatant violation of the Constitution.

“Clearly, the Bicameral Conference Committee committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction when it signed the committee report on 2025 National Budget filled with blanks,” the petition read. 

On January 27, House appropriations panel chairperson Rep. Stella Quimbo (Marikina, 2nd District) said the blanks in the budget were "typographical errors," which had been corrected by authorized technical staff from both chambers of Congress.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said they have yet to read the petition of the former executive secretary, but a comment will be released through the Office of the Solicitor General.

In a message to reporters, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said: “We shall comment on the petition if directed by the Supreme Court to do so. In the meantime, the validity, regularity, and constitutionality of the 2025 GAA are legally presumed.”

The Senate and House of Representatives approved the budget bill on Dec. 11, 2024, shortly after the bicameral conference committee resolved their disagreements on the budget. 

President Marcos signed the 2025 General Appropriations Act into law on Dec. 30, 2024 but vetoed P194 billion worth of budget items he deemed inconsistent with his administration's priorities.