PDP-LABAN, PINURI ANG SC DECISION NA NAGDEKLARA SA 2024, 2025 GAA BILANG ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’

“The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN) said it ‘grandly welcomes’ the decision of of the Supreme Court en banc, declaring as unconstitutional the 2024 and 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and avoiding certain sections of the 2026 GAA, for the main reason that the said laws violated Article VI, Section 25 of the Constitution proscribing so-called ‘insertions’ in the National Expenditure Program of the Executive through the mere expediency of Unprogrammed Appropriations and other ‘palusot’.”

Ito ang inihayag ni PDP National Spokesman Atty. Ferdinand Topacio at aniya, ang nasabing desisyon ng SC ay isang ‘signal victory for transparency and the judicious use of public funds by the Legislature, which is supposed to be the guardian of the public purse.’

Ayon kay Topacio, ang susund na hakbang ngayon ay habulin ang mga responsable sa pagsasamantala sa pera ng taumbayan na aniya ay dapat na maging ‘criminally accountable’.

Matatandaan na noong February 2025, nagsampa ng criminal cases sa Ombudsman sina dating House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez atPDP-LABAN stalwarts Attorneys James Bondoc at Topacio, kung saan hinihingi nila ang criminal prosecution ng mga gumamit sa mga GAAs upang isagawa ang ‘the greatest thievery in Philippine history.’

Gayunman, ito ay nai-defer ng Ombudsman, dahil sa mga nakabinbin na kaso sa High Tribunal.

“Now that the Supreme Court has made its landmark ruling, we strongly urge the present Ombudsman to show his independence by proceeding with the said criminal complaint and filing the necessary charges against those responsible,” ani Topacio.

Samantala, inatasan ni PDP-LABAN acting chairman Alfonso Cusi ang mga abogado ng partido upang gamitin lahat ng resources na meron sila upang magsampa ng karagdagang mga kaso sa layunin na mapanagot ang mga nagnakaw at mabawi ang mga nawalang pondo ng bayan at maibalik ito sa kaban ng gobyerno.

” Therefore, the people may expect more cases to be filed at the initiative of the party in the near future,” ani Topacio.

Dagdag pa ni Topacio: “As always, the PDP-LABAN will be at the forefront of all efforts against graft and corruption, tyranny and the transgression of our people’s civil and political rights.” (JERRY S. TAN)