SC seeks higher budget for 2022

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has asked for an increase in its proposed P44.98-billion budget for next year.

During a House hearing last Tuesday, court administrator Midas Marquez said the proposed budget for the judiciary is lower than the P45.31-billion budget for this year.

Marquez reminded lawmakers of Section 3, Article 8 of the 1987 Constitution, which states that the judiciary cannot be given a budget lower than what was given during the previous year.

He said if Congress would approve the proposed budget submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in the National Expenditure Program, it would violate the judiciary’s fiscal autonomy under the constitutional provision.

Marquez said the SC had asked for a budget of P67.28 billion for next year. The DBM gave the high court only P44.98 billion or a variance of P22.30 billion.

The judiciary’s budget covers the SC, trial courts, Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan and Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).

The SC said it would no longer ask for the restoration of the budget cut.

“We are requesting Congress to reconsider at least P7.47 billion. We are not asking anymore for the entire P22.30 billion,” Marquez said.

Of the P7.47 billion, Marquez said P4.38 billion would go to the SC and lower courts, P2.01 billion to CA, P16.56 million to PET, P834.46 million to the Sandiganbayan and P231.15 million to the CTA.