Senate maintains budget cut for judiciary

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate is sticking to the P14.3-billion budget proposed for the Supreme Court (SC) and the judiciary by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), despite warnings of a “judicial revolt” from some magistrates who want a bigger allocation of P27.1 billion for next year.

“It‘s better that we analyze their budget carefully so that there is less emotion in asking for funds, with threats of judicial revolt. It is better that we are rational about this and see really what the situation is,” said Senate Finance committee chairman Sen. Franklin Drilon.

Drilon said the committee had rejected the justification for higher budget voiced by court administrator Midas Marquez.

“The court, through its spokesman court administrator Marquez, informed the committee of what they believed are improper deductions done by DBM on the budget as proposed by the SC to the DBM. The SC has proposed a P27.1-billion budget, the DBM approved P14.3 billion,” Drilon said.

Marquez said the judiciary needed support especially for their supplies and capital outlay because these have not been increased in recent years.   

But Drilon cited a Commission on Audit (COA) report regarding the P236.691 million in Judicial Development Fund and the Special Allowances for Judges available for distribution since December 2008.

The Finance committee chairman said the audited balance sheet of the SC also indicated that there is P815 million available in cash for maintenance and operating expense and capital outlay from the JDF.

Drilon noted that the DBM’s proposed P14.13-billion budget already covers all of the courts nationwide. On the basis of the SC report to the DBM as of Dec. 21, 2009, Drilon noted that a total of 1,434 positions have been filled out of 2,307.

“It even appears that on the basis of these unfilled positions, there will be a savings of about P5 billion. So I think it’s only right that the DBM has asked the SC to give the DBM what is called accountability reports – on who these funds were distributed to before additional funds are granted,” Drilon said.

“Let me emphasize that the budget of the SC for 2011 is higher than the current budget. In 2010, the total budget is P13,337,579,000 or an increase of about P970 million. All the agencies that submitted their budgets to the DBM did not even get the desired levels that they wanted. The DBM reduced almost across the board agency requests,” Drilon said.

Drilon also called the judiciary’s attention to trust funds amounting to P4.8 billion, which COA wants to be transferred to the National Treasury.

“The money is in the hands of the SC. But the position taken by COA is that in accordance with the provision of the law, this P4.8 billion in trust funds should be deposited with the National Treasury,” Drilon said.

The Senate has also directed the court administrator to submit data on how they intend to use the P236 million in cash available for distribution to all the justices and judges.