Araullo et al vs Pres Aquino

G.R. Nos. 209287, 209135, 209136, 209155, 209164, 209260, 209442, 209517 &
209569
July 1, 2014
For resolution are the onsoli!ate! "etitions assailin# the onstitutionality o$ the
%is&urse'ent (eleration )ro#ra' *%()+, National ,u!#et -irular *N,-+ No. 541,
an! relate! issuanes o$ the %e"art'ent o$ ,u!#et an! .ana#e'ent *%,.+
i'"le'entin# the %().
(t the ore o$ the ontro/ersy is 0etion 29*1+ o$ (rtile 12 o$ the 1987 -onstitution,
a "ro/ision o$ the $un!a'ental la3 that 4r'ly or!ains that 56n7o 'oney shall &e
"ai! out o$ the 8reasury e9e"t in "ursuane o$ an a""ro"riation 'a!e &y la3.: 8he
tenor an! onte9t o$ the hallen#es "ose! &y the "etitioners a#ainst the %()
in!iate that the %() ontra/ene! this "ro/ision &y allo3in# the ;9euti/e to
alloate "u&li 'oney "oole! $ro' "ro#ra''e! an! un"ro#ra''e! $un!s o$ its
/arious a#enies in the #uise o$ the )resi!ent e9erisin# his onstitutional authority
un!er 0etion 25*5+ o$ the 1987 -onstitution to trans$er $un!s out o$ sa/in#s to
au#'ent the a""ro"riations o$ o<es 3ithin the ;9euti/e ,ranh o$ the
Go/ern'ent. ,ut the hallen#es are $urther o'"liate! &y the inter=etion o$
alle#ations o$ trans$er o$ $un!s to a#enies or o<es outsi!e o$ the ;9euti/e.
>hat has "rei"itate! the ontro/ersy?
@n 0e"te'&er 25, 2013, 0en. Jin##oy ;=erito ;stra!a !eli/ere! a "ri/ile#e s"eeh
in the 0enate o$ the )hili""ines to re/eal that so'e 0enators, inlu!in# hi'sel$, ha!
&een allotte! an a!!itional )50 .illion eah as 5inenti/e: $or /otin# in $a/or o$ the
i'"eah'ent o$ -hie$ Justie Renato -. -orona.
Res"on!in# to 0en. ;stra!aAs re/elation, 0eretary Florenio (&a! o$ the %,.
issue! a "u&li state'ent entitle! (&a!B Releases to Senators Part of Spending
Acceleration Program, e9"lainin# that the $un!s release! to the 0enators ha! &een
"art o$ the %(), a "ro#ra' !esi#ne! &y the %,. to ra'" u" s"en!in# to aelerate
eono'i e9"ansion. Ce lari4e! that the $un!s ha! &een release! to the 0enators
&ase! on their letters o$ reDuest $or $un!in#E an! that it 3as not the 4rst ti'e that
releases $ro' the %() ha! &een 'a!e &eause the %() ha! alrea!y &een institute!
in 2011 to ra'" u" s"en!in# a$ter slu##ish !is&urse'ent s ha! ause! the #ro3th
o$ the #ross !o'esti "ro!ut *G%)+ to slo3 !o3n. Ce e9"laine! that the $un!s
un!er the %() 3ere usually taFen $ro' *1+ unrelease! a""ro"riations un!er
)ersonnel 0er/iesE *2+ un"ro#ra''e! $un!sE *3+ arryGo/er a""ro"riations
unrelease! $ro' the "re/ious yearE an!
*4+ &u!#ets $or slo3 G'o/in# ite's or "ro=ets that ha! &een reali#ne! to su""ort
$asterG!is&ursin# "ro=ets.
8he %,. liste! the $ollo3in# as the le#al &ases $or the %()As use o$ sa/in#s,
na'elyB *1+ 0etion 25*5+, (rtile 12 o$ the 1987 -onstitution, 3hih #rante! to the
)resi!ent the authority to au#'ent an ite' $or his o<e in the #eneral
a""ro"riations la3E *2+ 0etion 49 *(uthority to Hse 0a/in#s $or -ertain )ur"oses+
an! 0etion 38 *0us"ension o$ ;9"en!iture (""ro"riations+, -ha"ter 5, ,ooF 12 o$
;9euti/e @r!er *;@+ No. 292 *(!'inistrati/e -o!e o$ 1987+E an! *3+ the General
(""ro"riations (ts *G((s+ o$ 2011, 2012 an! 2013, "artiularly their "ro/isions on
the *a+ use o$ sa/in#sE *&+ 'eanin#s o$ sa/in#s an! au#'entationE an! *+ "riority in
the use o$ sa/in#s.
Zero-based budgeting is a &u!#etin# a""roah that in/ol/es the
re/ie3Ie/aluation o$ onG#oin# "ro#ra's an! "ro=ets i'"le'ente! &y !iJerent
!e"art'entsIa#enies in or!er toB *a+ esta&lish the ontinue! rele/ane o$
"ro#ra'sI"ro=ets #i/en the urrent !e/elo"'entsI!iretionsE *&+ assess 3hether
the "ro#ra' o&=eti/esIouto'es are &ein# ahie/e!E *+ as ertain alternati/e or
'ore e<ient or eJeti/e 3ays o$ ahie/in# the o&=eti/esE an! *!+ #ui!e !eision
'aFers on 3hether or not the resoures $or the "ro#ra'I"ro=et shoul! ontinue at
the "resent le/el or &e inrease!, re!ue! or !isontinue!. *see ,- -irular No.
539, .arh 21, 2012+.
-on#ressional "orF &arrel K 5an a""ro"riation o$ #o/ern'ent s"en!in# 'eant $or
loaliLe! "ro=ets an! seure! solely or "ri'arily to &rin# 'oney to a
re"resentati/eAs !istrit: K e9ite! the Nation as heate!ly as the "orF &arrel
ontro/ersy.
)roe!ural 2ssueB
(. >hether or not ertiorari, "rohi&ition, an! 'an!a'us are "ro"er re'e!ies to
assail the onstitutionality an! /ali!ity o$ the %is&urse'ent (eleration )ro#ra'
*%()+, National ,u!#et -irular *N,-+ No. 541, an! all other e9euti/e issuanes
alle#e!ly i'"le'entin# the %().
0u&su'e! in this issue areB
1. >hether there is a ontro/ersy ri"e $or =u!iial !eter'ination, an! the stan!in# o$
"etitioners.
0u&stanti/e 2ssuesB
,. >hether or not the %() /iolates 0e. 29, (rt. 12 o$ the 1987 -onstitution, 3hih
"ro/i!esB 5No 'oney shall &e "ai! out o$ the 8reasury e9e"t in "ursuane o$ an
a""ro"riation 'a!e &y la3.:
-. >hether or not the %(), N,- No. 541, an! all other e9euti/e issuanes alle#e!ly
i'"le'entin# the %() /iolate 0e. 25*5+, (rt. 12 o$ the 1987 -onstitution inso$ar asB
*a+ 8hey treat the unrelease! a""ro"riations an! uno&li#ate! allot'ents
3ith!ra3n $ro' #o/ern'ent a#enies as 5sa/in#s: as the ter' is use! in
0e. 25*5+, in relation to the "ro/isions o$ the G((s o$ 2011, 2012 an! 2013E
*&+ 8hey authoriLe the !is&urse'ent o$ $un!s $or "ro=ets or "ro#ra's not
"ro/i!e! in the G((s $or the ;9euti/e %e"art'entE an!
*+ 8hey 5au#'ent: !isretionary lu'" su' a""ro"riations in the G((s.
%. >hether or not the %() /iolatesB *1+ the ;Dual )rotetion -lause, *2+ the syste'
o$ heFs an! &alanes, an! *3+ the "rini"le o$ "u&li aounta&ility enshrine! in
the 1987 -onstitution onsi!erin# that it authoriLes the release o$ $un!s u"on the
reDuest o$ le#islators.
;. >hether or not $atual an! le#al =usti4ation e9ists to issue a te'"orary
restrainin# or!er to restrain the i'"le'entation o$ the %(), N,- No. 541, an! all
other e9euti/e issuanes alle#e!ly i'"le'entin# the %().
F. >hether or not the release o$ un"ro#ra''e! $un!s un!er the %() 3as in aor!
3ith the G((s.