MANILA, Philippines – Kahit idineklarang unconstitutional ng Korte Suprema ang probisyon ng 2024 General Appropriations Act at ang memo na inilabas ng Department of Finance (DOF) na nagbigay daan sa paglilipat ng pondo ng Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) sa National Treasury, sinabi ng mga SC Justice na walang criminal liability dito si Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.
Ayon sa justices, sinunod lang ni Recto ang atas sa kanya ng 2024 GAA na inaprubahan ng Kongreso nang ilabas nito ang DOF Circular 003-2024, kaya nailipat ang P60 bilyong pondo ng PhilHealth sa National Treasury noong 2024.
Ang Kongreso, na may tanging kapangyarihan sa pambansang pondo, ay inatasan ang DOF, sa pamamagitan ng GAA, na ilipat ang pondo ng PhilHealth at iba pang GOCC upang mapondohan ang iba pang proyekto at programa ng gobyerno.
Sa isang press briefer na inilabas matapos ilabas ng SC ang desisyon nito na nagpapawalang-bisa sa mga probisyon ng 2024 budget law at sa DOF memo hinggil sa cash sweep ng sobrang pondo ng mga government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs), sinabi ni SC spokesperson Camille Ting na walang criminal liability na maaaring ikabit kay Recto, na siyang Finance secretary nang ipatupad ang naturang probisyon.
Ginawa aniya ito “in good faith” sa pagpapatupad ng naturang probisyon.
“To hold Secretary Recto liable in any way whatsoever is like punishing him for simply doing his job. If he did not comply with the valid dictates of Special Provision 1 (d), then he may possibly become culpable of violating the law, which would have made his situation even worse,” ayon kay Associate Justice Raul Villanueva.
“Given the foregoing, no liability for technical malversation may attach. The officials carried out the statutory commands in good faith, pursuant to a law then presumed valid, and without any intention to divert funds contrary to legislative will. The constitutional infirmity of Special Provision No. 1 (d) renders the provision void-but it does not render criminal those who were duty-bound to follow it,” pahayag naman ni Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario.
“The DOF Secretary’s actions were strictly ministerial and were executed pursuant to the explicit and mandatory language of the provision of the 2024 GAA. As discussed above, they were characterized by institutional good faith and due diligence, as they relied on formal clearances from agencies like the OGCC, the COA, and the GCG,” ayon naman kay Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda.
“Lastly, that the Court now declares Special Provision 1 (d), Chapter XLIII of the 2024 GAA and DOF Circular No. 003-2024 as void does not negate Secretary Recto’s good faith, nor does it automatically create a basis for his liability. A public officer shall not be civilly liable for acts done in the performance of his or her official duties, unless there is a clear showing of bad faith, malice or gross negligence,” sabi ni Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan.
Ayon sa mga eksperto, dahil sa pananaw ng mga mahistrado ay masasayang lamang ang pagod ng ilang grupo na nais kasuhan si Recto.
Binanggit ni Associate Justice Zalameda na ang pag-isyu ni Recto ng DOF memo hinggil sa cash sweep ay “strictly ministerial” alinsunod sa special provision ng 2024 GAA ukol sa GOCC cash sweep.
Dagdag ni Zalameda, nagpakita si Recto ng “good faith and due diligence” matapos lamang makakuha ng clearance mula sa Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG), Commission on Audit (COA), at maging mula sa PhilHealth Board mismo. RNT
