House opposition bloc threatens to question 2012 budget before SC

MANILA, Philippines - The House opposition bloc threatened yesterday to question before the Supreme Court (SC) the proposed P1.8-trillion national budget for 2012 unless Malacañang returns the unconstitutional P101.5-billion Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) to the judiciary and independent constitutional bodies.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Joker Arroyo earlier raised alarm over the insertion of the MPBF in the proposed outlay, where unspent appropriations for unfilled positions in all three branches of government are pooled.

The congressional leaders and members of the judiciary warned the MPBF was an insidious attempt of Malacañang to “hijack” and “control” funds of fiscally independent bodies since appropriation can only be released with the consent of the President.

During plenary debates at the House of Representatives on the proposed budget, House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said opposition lawmakers plan to question the appropriation before the SC.

Suarez said the questionable allocation violates the constitutional guarantee of fiscal autonomy of constitutional bodies.

“We’re prepared to go to the courts over this blatantly unconstitutional provision,” Suarez said.

He said with the overwhelming sentiment in both chambers of Congress, it is possible that MPBF would be deleted from the proposed General Appropriations Bill (GAB) at the bicameral conference committee level or when the Senate and the House reconcile their versions of the proposed money measure.

The GAB is expected to be passed by the House Friday night or before dawn on Saturday as the chamber has been conducting marathon debates on the floor since last week to speed up the measure’s approval.

Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, however said the chamber is likely to approve the GAB with the MPBF in it.

Enrile said the MPBF amounted to President Aquino’s pork barrel.