Senate to remove P374-M judiciary budget for furniture

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate committee on finance slammed the additional P374 million the Supreme Court is asking for the purchase of furniture and cables for the information technology (IT) system of the proposed Manila hall of justice building, which is projected to be completed in 2015.

During the hearing on the proposed P17.7-billion budget of the judiciary at the Senate last Thursday, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez asked the committee on finance for the additional funding, which he justified by arguing that the city of Manila has no existing hall of justice.

Marquez noted that the Supreme Court has a budget of P1.86 billion taken from its savings for the purchase of the old building of the Government Service and Insurance System and its renovation for use as the city of Manila’s hall of justice.

He said that this is still short of P374.5 million for the purchase of furniture and the cabling for the IT system of the building.

However, when committee chairman Sen. Franklin Drilon asked when the construction of the building would be completed, Marquez said it will take another three years, or in 2015.

Marquez said that the plans for the building would be completed at the end of this year so the bidding and construction would only start next year.

“Therefore, you don’t really need P374 million in furniture for the hall of justice because you will finish this in 2015,” Drilon said.

The P374.5 million actually represents the funding requirements for the furniture and the cabling but the bulk of the amount or P298.526 million would be used to purchase the furniture.

“We will provide this (funding) in 2015 when you are ready to purchase it,” Drilon said.

He pointed out that the approval by Congress of this request would result in additional savings for the judiciary which would then be used for various purposes by the Supreme Court, including the grant of fringe benefits to the justices, judges and other personnel of the courts.

“This is our problem, the savings. We don’t know (how you will spend this) because you have fiscal autonomy. In 2015 you will ask us for another P298 million (for the furniture). Seriously, you don’t need furniture until 2015. Your committee is willing to fund for furniture but not until 2015,” he said.