OSG urges SC to reject petition vs 2025 budget

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has formally requested the Supreme Court (SC) to dismiss the petition filed by individuals, including senatorial candidate and former executive secretary Victor Rodriguez, questioning the constitutionality of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

In an 89-page comment, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra argued that the petition should be dismissed due to procedural defects and lack of merit.

The OSG emphasized that the petition is not driven by genuine constitutional concerns but instead appears to be an attempt to delay or obstruct the implementation of the law, which is vital for the country’s progress and the well-being of its citizens.

The petitioners had argued that the budget should be invalidated due to alleged “blanks” in some items, particularly in the Bicameral Conference Committee (BCC) Report.

In response, the OSG explained that the enrolled bill, not the Committee Report, is the definitive and binding version of the law. It pointed out that any previous versions of the bill, including the BCC Report, are internal to Congress and do not affect the final implementation of the budget.

The OSG also noted that the allegations of “blanks” in the BCC Report — specifically concerning budget allocations for certain agencies — do not hold legal or factual grounds. These alleged blanks were not reflective of a lack of budget allocation but were part of the BCC’s final ministerial computation process.

The OSG further clarified that the claim regarding the BCC’s internal procedures — such as amending provisions without explicitly stating the amended version—pertains only to internal congressional rules and does not constitute a constitutional violation.

The OSG added that the BCC was fully aware of the final budget allocations, and the “blanks” were not left undetermined by anyone other than the duly elected representatives in Congress.

Additionally, the OSG rejected the petitioners’ claim of a blatant constitutional violation, arguing that it was a bare assertion without any legal or factual support.

The OSG emphasized that the bills in question have already been passed into law, ratified by Congress, and approved in the BCC Report, with the proper attestations and certifications.

The OSG also pointed out that the passage of the law into effect demonstrates the effective functioning of the system of checks and balances, a core element of the country’s democratic framework.