THE Supreme Court has directed Malacañang, the House of Representatives and the Senate to answer the petition that former executive secretary and senatorial aspirant Vic Rodriguez filed challenging the constitutionality of the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
Congress leaders passed the resolution during their regular en banc session.
The en banc said Malacañang must comment on the petition “within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of notice of the resolution.”
Joining Rodriguez in the petition are Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro and several other private individuals.
The petitioners asked the SC to nullify Republic Act No. 12116, or the 2025 GAA, on grounds that “it is unconstitutional.”
They said the GAA failed to allocate funds to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and unlawfully increased the appropriations beyond the President’s recommendation.
They also argued it violates the provision in the 1987 Constitution which stipulates that the largest share of the budget should go to the education sector.
Lastly, they said the GAA is unconstitutional since the Bicameral Committee Report on the General Appropriations Bill contained blank items.
Malacañang has denied that there are blank items in the GAA.