House urged to restore P2-B SC budget cut

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives should restore the P2-billion for unfilled positions that was taken away from the budget of the Supreme Court and lower courts, Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said yesterday.

“The impoundment of funds for unfilled positions, which were previously appropriated in the separate budgets of co-equal bodies and constitutional commissions enjoying fiscal autonomy, violates the Constitution,” he said.

He said the small committee created by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to receive proposed amendments to the 2012 budget should return the appropriations to the Supreme Court and constitutional commissions.

Lagman is the lone representative of the minority in that committee. The majority is represented by Joseph Emilio Abaya of Cavite, who heads the appropriations committee, Rolando Andaya Jr. of Camarines, Jocelyn Limkaichong of Negros Oriental, and Rodolfo Fariñas of Ilocos Norte.

Like Lagman, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez wants funds for unfilled positions returned to the judiciary and constitutional commissions.

He said if those funds were not returned, the Supreme Court and independent commissions would have to request Malacañang to release the money when they need it.

“That is against the Constitution, which mandates that funds for the judiciary and constitutional commissions be automatically and regularly released,” he said.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad has promised that he would release the money as soon as the Supreme Court and other agencies with vacancies hire people. He said what he and President Aquino want to do is “to protect the authorization given by Congress for the judiciary to hire court personnel, which is not being done as funds for unfilled items are realigned for other uses.”

According to a report Abad has submitted to the House appropriations committee, there are 5,539 vacancies in the judiciary, mostly for the positions of judge.

For those vacancies, there is P2 billion in this year’s judiciary budget and in the 2012 national budget. This year, the P2 billion is immediately available to the Supreme Court, whether it fills the vacant jobs or not, while next year, it would have to hire judges before funds are released.