Palace to appeal DAP ruling today

Wikipedia photo

Manila — Malacañang said on Thursday that it will submit its motion for reconsideration today, following the Supreme Court decision declaring the unconstitutionality of several parts of the Disbursement Acceleration Program.

“Ang pinag-uukulan ng pansin ngayon ay ang paghahanda ng isang motion for reconsideration, at sinisikap na mabuo doon ‘yung mga argumento na sana’y mapaunawa sa ating mga mahistrado sa kanilang pagbabalik-tanaw sa kanilang naging desisyon,” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head Herminio Coloma Jr.said at a press briefing.

(The attention right now is on the preparation of a motion for reconsideration, hoping that the arguments will be created there so that it will guide the magistrates as they go back on their decision.)

On its decision, the SC said that the “authors, proponents and implementors” of the DAP may be held criminally liable “unless there are concrete findings of good faith in their favor by the proper tribunals.”

Aquino, however defended the program saying that budget realignment has helped boost economic growth and was implemented by his administration in “good faith.”

In a televised address aired on Monday, Aquino also criticized the judiciary for its ruling on DAP giving the SC a warning on a possible head to head clash between the executive and the judicial branches of the government.

“Ang mensahe ko po sa Korte Suprema: Ayaw nating umabot pa sa puntong magbabanggaan ang dalawang magkapantay na sangay ng gobyerno, kung saan kailangan pang mamagitan ng ikatlong sangay ng gobyerno,” Aquino said.

[My message to the Supreme Court: We do not want to reach the extent where the two equal branches will clash, which will lead to the need for the third branch (the senate) to mediate.]

The executive branch was given by the SC only until Saturday (July 19) to file their motion for reconsideration.