SC to return P500-M special allowance for justices

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court has ordered its Fiscal Management and Budget Office (FMBO) to remit to the national treasury P527,100,000 in excess of the Special Allowance for the Judiciary (SAJ) Fund.

In a three-page minute resolution dated Feb. 12, the SC en banc instructed Deputy Clerk of Court and FMBO chief, lawyer Corazon Ferrer-Flores to remit “to the National Treasury as income of the Government’s General Fund” the amount of P527.1 million at the rate of P43,925,000 a month until the entire amount is fully remitted.

"Therefore, as suitably recommended by FMBO Chief Ferrer-Flores, the amount needed for the remittance should be sourced from the Court’s collection for the entire year and the remittance of the amount to the national treasury should be made on a monthly basis,” the resolution said.

Earlier, Ferrer-Flores sought clarification from the High Court as to the effect of the Special Provision No. 1 of the General Appropriations Act, which pertains to the special allowance granted to justices, judges, and all other positions in the judiciary with the equivalent rank of justices of the Court of Appeals and judges of the Regional Trial Court under RA 9227, which have already been fully integrated into their salary increases as of June 1, 2012.

She, however, recommended that the remittance be made in tranches.

She argued that considering the balance of the SAJ, as of December 31, 2012, will be used for the payment of the SAJ of incumbent justice, judges and judiciary officials with the equivalent rank of CA justice or RTC judge for the month of January 2013 and the additional allowance to court officials and employees who are not direct beneficiaries under RA 9227, the remaining balance will fall short of the required P527.1 million.

She added that the deficiency should be sourced from the Court’s collection for the entire year so the need to remit the said amount on a monthly basis.

Ferrer-Flores noted that the remittance of the amount to the national coffers would be more convenient and practical for the Department of Budget and Management as the need to break down the basic monthly salary to its components would be dispensed with since the entire BMS will already be funded by the DBM.

It would also simplify the keeping of records and the processing of transactions against the SAJ Fund by the Court.