MANILA, Philippines – Pinirmahan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., araw ng Huwebes, upang maging ganap na batas ang pagtukoy sa saklaw at palawakin ang fiscal autonomy ng judiciary.
Isinagawa ang ceremonial signing sa Palasyo ng Malakanyang kung saan sa naging talumpati ng Pangulo ay binigyang diin nito na ang gobyerno ay naglagay ng proteksyon upang ang judiciary ay mas maaaring makapagtrabaho ng mahusay at mas malaya.
“Our Constitution already mandates: The Judiciary shall enjoy fiscal autonomy. Appropriations for the Judiciary may not be reduced by the legislature below the amount appropriated for the previous year, and, after approval, shall be automatically and regularly released,” ang sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos.
“And this is why we continue to help the Judiciary become secure in its resources and perform its duty to serve our people without any delay,” aniya pa rin.
Nakasaad sa Seksyon ng “The Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act” na “the policy of the State to affirm and strengthen the Constitutional mandate and powers of the Judiciary as a co-equal branch of government. “
Sa layuning ito, pinagtibay ng estado at pinalakas ang fiscal autonomy ng Judiciary na nakapaloob sa Konstitusyon, na nagdeklara na ang appropriations para sa Judiciary ay maaaring hindi mabawasan sa mas mababa sa halaga para sa nakaraang taon, at matapos na aprubahan ng Kongreso, ay dapat na ‘automatically at regularly released.’
Sa ilalim ng batas ,”the Supreme Court shall submit to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) the annual budget proposal for the Judiciary, detailing its budget of expenditures and sources of financing (BESP), and reflecting total revenues and expenses.”
Sinasabi pa rin sa batas na ang original budget na ipinanukala ng Korte Suprema ay dapat na kasama bilang isang attachment sa National Expenditure Program (NEP); sa kondisyong, dapat na magsumite ang DBM ng komento at konsiderasyon.
Pinapayagan naman ng batas ang Chief Justice na dagdagan ng anumang item para sa Judiciary sa general appropriations law na makatitipsa iba pang mga bagay na akma sa Judiciary.
Sa pamamagitan ng an en banc resolution, Ang Chief Justice ay maaaring ‘modify the allotment within the same activity or project: (1) from one allotment class to another, except capital outlays; or (2) from one operating unit to another.’
Sa ilalim ng batas, “the DBM shall automatically release to the High Tribunal, without need for any request, the monthly cash requirements of the Judiciary or one-twelfth (1/12) of the total budgetary support.
“These releases shall not be conditioned on approved work and financial plans or any other financial report,” ayon pa rin sa batas.
Para sa bahaging ito, “Supreme Court shall submit quarterly accomplishment and financial reports to the President and to Congress.”
Sinabi ng Pangulo na ganito ang ginagawa ng gobyrerno sa ‘checks and balances.’
”This is how democracy works—by respecting the role each branch plays, while exercising our duty to ensure that no branch acts beyond what the Constitution allows,” ayon kay Pangulong Marcos.
Sa kabilang dako, tanggap ng Korte Suprema ang paglagda sa batas, sabay sabing “this will allow the High Tribunal to submit its original budget proposal directly to Congress and ensure that its monthly cash requirements will be released.”
Ang lahat ng revenues at expenditures ng Judiciary, kabilang na iyongmula sa newly established Judiciary Trust Fund, ay mananatiling “subject to post-audit by the Commission on Audit.”
Tiniyak naman ni Pangulong Marcos na committed ang kasalukuyang administrasyon na igalang ang awtonomiya at kapangyarihan ng Korte Suprema habang hinahayaan nito ang constitutional duty na bigyang kahulugan ang piakamataan na batas sa “highest law of the land.”
”This commitment thus calls on us to stay true to our Constitution, to champion integrity and fairness, and implement laws with prudence and foresight,” aniya pa rin. /Kris Jose
