IBP, Cebu City execs: PNoy should respect SC decision

CEBU, Philippines - “The Supreme Court decision must be respected.”

This was the pronouncement of lawyer Mae Elaine Bathan, Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City Chapter president, on the statement of President Benigno Aquino III questioning the SC’s decision on the Disbursement Acceleration Program.

Bathan said that though she understood Aquino’s “pure and sincere” intention in wanting to hasten the delivery of services through DAP, still, the higher court’s decision must be respected.

“Ours is a government of laws and not of men. The SC decision must be respected. It is a co-equal branch that exercises check and balance and safeguards the people against the abuses and wrongdoings in the government- the executive department included,” read a text message she sent to The FREEMAN.

In his 20-minute speech Monday, Aquino openly questioned the SC ruling declaring key portions of the DAP as unconstitutional. The president defended DAP, saying it has good intention, which is to deliver services to the people.

Aquino added that they “did not break the law” when they implement the DAP, claiming the government did not steal people’s money through the said program.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said they were saddened that Aquino questioned the SC’s unanimous ruling on DAP.

“We cannot just take Supreme Court for granted. That is why it’s called Supreme Court. Wala man moingon nga Supreme President,” Rama said.

Rama, a lawyer, said Cebu was not one of the locales that received funds from DAP.

“Because until now I’m still asking and waiting for the national government to get involved in CCMC (Cebu City Medical Center),” he said during the ground breaking ceremony for the new structure of the city hospital yesterday.

Following the 7.1 earthquake last November 8, the CCMC building was condemned and later demolished. Rama has been looking for funds to build a new and bigger structure.

Yesterday, he wished that the president should have not have uttered words that signal a possible clash between the highest executive and the judiciary bodies of the country.

“Because I’m a lawyer, and when you talk about Supreme Court, lahi among pagrespeto sa (we respect the) Supreme Court,” Rama said.

Meanwhile, Labella, a lawyer and former Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas director, also said he hoped that the situation would not result to a constitutional crisis.

“It is saddening to know….  Anyway, as the president said, he is going to file a motion for reconsideration, so let it be decided by the court,” Labella said, reminding that that the SC is the court of last resort.

“I think it was not quite appropriate to attack the decision by totally citing an administrative order that cannot rise above the constitutional provision (of the law). An administrative order, as a matter of rule, must not contravene the basic law of the land, which is the Constitution,” Labella added.

The SC declared as unconstitutional National Budget Circular No. 541 and its related executive issuances for being a violation of Section 25(5), Article V1 of the 1987 Constitution and the doctrine of separation of powers. — (FREEMAN)