Palace to file motion for reconsideration on SC ruling on DAP on Friday

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma

MANILA — Malacanang aims to file a motion for reconsideration on Friday that hopes to reverse the Supreme Court (SC) ruling declaring some provisions of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as unconstitutional.

“I think, sinisikap na mai-file ito by tomorrow… This motion contains all the salient arguments being put forward by the Executive branch in asking the magistrates to revisit the legal issues,” said Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma in a press briefing on Thursday.

Coloma said the appeal will be done in the spirit of complying with judicial processes.

He stressed that the Executive branch will eventually accept the SC decision after all these processes are done.

”We are a government of laws and not of men. Siyempre po tatanggapin iyong desisyon katulad ng ginawang pagtanggap sa mga iba pang desisyon na naganap na dito sa administrasyon,” he said.

Coloma cited the SC’s decisions on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), Reproductive Health, Truth Commission and midnight appointees.

”Hindi po ba maliwanag naman ang record? Tinanggap ng Pangulo at ng pamahalaan ang mga desisyong ito at nakasulong naman po ang ating pamahalaan at iyan ay isang tanda ng kasiglahan ng isang demokrasya na tayo ay sumasailalim sa iba’t ibang mga Constitutional and judicial processes,” he said.

”Nagkakaroon tayo ng pagkakaiba ng opinyon. Pero kapag nagpasya na ay sumusulong naman po ang ating bansa,” he added.

The Palace maintained that projects funded through the DAP benefited many Filipinos and partly boosted economic growth.