Congress cannot touch JDF — SC

Supreme Court of the Philippines. Photo by Mike Gonzales courtesy of Wiki Commons.

MANILA — The Supreme Court remained firm on its stand that the Congress cannot touch the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF).

During the House deliberations on the proposed P20.3 billion budget of the SC for next year, deputy court administrator Raul Villanueva said that the Congress cannot even amend Presidential Decree (PD) 1949.

Amending the decree that created the JDF, will violate the judiciary’s constitutionally mandated fiscal autonomy.

Villanueva, with Justices Bienvenido Reyes and Disdado Peralta were sent by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to defend her and the JDF.

Ilocos Rep. Rodolfo Farinas, however, did not agree on this and  contested that the House has the right to review, amend or even repeal the decree since it is in form of a law.

The lawmaker also added that since the creation of the fund, the SC has already been resorting to “judicial legislation” in the interpretation of the independence and fiscal autonomy of the high court.

“It expanded the sources of funds for the JDF, a legislative act that should have belonged to Congress,” he said.

“By all means, we will review the law creating the JDF. We might amend it or even repeal it. And impeachment will be an option on our part if the Supreme Court will stop us or declare a bill changing or repealing the JDF law as unconstitutional,” he told Villanueva, Reyes and Peralta.

Despite the judiciary’s stand against the Congress’ rights on amending the decree, the House also remained firm on its decision to review and even amend or repeal the law.

“We will continue the hearings on the JDF. We will set the continuation of the inquiry for next month,” Tupas earlier told reporters.

“The legislative work of the committee to make the use of public funds more transparent and public officers more accountable cannot be held hostage by the refusal of the Supreme Court to participate,” he said.