SC: Judiciary funds report open to public

MANILA, Philippines - Amid the impending scrutiny of the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court on Thursday said details of the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) are open to the public.

The JDF amounting to billions of pesos is a lump sum appropriation administered by the high court. The funds are similar in nature with the congressional Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) or pork barrel, which the court struck down last month.

Complete reports of JDF disposition are on the SC website under the folder "public information".

— SC PIO (Official) (@SCPh_PIO) December 18, 2013

The high tribunal made the statement after Iloilo City Rep. Niel Tupas, chairman of the House committee on justice, said the Supreme Court may have encroached on congressional powers in declaring the PDAF unconstitutional.

Read: House to scrutinize judiciary fund use

"I think it should be scrutinized, within the committee on justice, depending on the decision of the leadership of the House. We go back to accountability of public funds," Tupas said.

Tupas said the JDF, too, will be scrutinized next year by the chamber following the court's reasons for junking Congress' appropriations for soft and hard projects.

In the latest JDF report, the Supreme Court's cash balance in bank was P1.27 billion after the judiciary collected P290 million in legal fees and disbursed P256 million for allowance of employees as well as the repairs of facilities and offices.

The JDF was established through Presidential Decree No. 1949 during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos "to help ensure and guarantee the independence of the Judiciary."

"The Fund shall be used to augment the allowances of the members and personnel of the Judiciary and to finance the acquisition, maintenance and repair of office equipment and facilities," the decree states.

The pronouncement also provides that at least 80 percent of the fund should be earmarked for cost of living allowances while the remaining 20 percent be for repairs and maintenance.

"Said allowances of the members and personnel of the Judiciary shall be distributed in proportion of their basic salaries; and, Provided, finally, That bigger allowances may be granted to those receiving a basic salary of less than P1,000.00 a month," it adds.