Guingona, Jr.

v Carague (1991)
Facts
Senators Teofsto Guingona, Jr. and Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (etitioners)
question t!e "onstitutionalit# o$ t!e automati" aroriation $or de%t
servi"e in t!e 199& %udget, '!i"! is t!e resonsi%ilit# o$ (on.
Guillermo Carague, Se"retar# o$ )udget and *anagement, (on.
+o,alina S. Ca-u"om, .at/l Treasurer, and t!e Commission on Audit
(resondents)
Said %udget "onsists o$ P90.1 )illion in automati" aroriation, P02.2
) o$ '!i"! is $or de%t servi"e, and P133.4 ) aroriated under t!e
General Aroriations A"t (+A .o. 2041), '!i"! amounts to P544.3 )
(digestor/s note6 7 don/t understand t!e mat!), '!ile t!e aroriations
$or 89CS amount onl# to P5:,&1:,014,&&&.&&
T!e automati" aroriation $or de%t servi"e is aut!ori,ed %# P8 .o.
01 ;Amending Certain Provisions o$ +eu%li" A"t .um%ered 102&, as
amended (+e6 <oreign )orro'ing A"t), ;%# P8 .o. 11:: ;+evising t!e
)udget Pro"ess in =rder to 7nstitutionali,e t!e )udgetar# 7nnovations
o$ t!e .e' So"iet#,> and %# P8 .o. 192: ;An A"t Strengt!ening t!e
Guarantee and Pa#ment Positions o$ t!e +eu%li" o$ t!e P!iliines on
7ts Contingent ?ia%ilities Arising out o$ +elent and Guaranteed ?oans %#
Aroriating <unds $or t!e Purose,> '!i"! "ame into e@e"t under
Pres. *ar"os.
Petitioners seeA t!e de"laration o$ t!e un"onstitutionalit# o$ P8 .o 01,
Se"tion 41 o$ P8 .o 11::, and P8 .o 192:, and to restrain t!e
dis%ursement $or de%t servi"e under t!e 199& %udget ursuant to said
de"rees.
Issues
1. B=. t!e "ase is a oliti"al question
5. B=. t!e aroriation o$ P02 ) in t!e P544 ) 199& )udget violates
Se". 3, Art. C7D o$ t!e 190: Constitution
4. B=. P8 .o. 01, .o. 11::, and .o. 192: still oerate under t!e 190:
Constitution
1. B=. t!e a%ove P8/s violate Se" 59(1), Art. D7 o$ t!e 190: Constitution
Ratio & Holding (Held?)
1. .o, it is not.
)e"ause t!e etitioners are questioning t!e "onstitutionalit# o$ "ertain
P8/s, t!ere is a -usti"ia%le "ontrovers# t!at ma# %e re"ogni,ed %# t!e
Court.
5. .o, it does not.
Se". 3, Art. C7D o$ t!e Constitution states t!at ;t!e state s!all assign
t!e !ig!est %udgetar# riorit# to edu"ation> in order to, among ot!er
t!ings, Aee <iliino s"!ooltea"!ers in t!e "ountr#, and t!e etitioners
oint out t!at t!e a%ove %udget s!o's t!at edu"ation 'as not given
!ig!est riorit#. T!e Court, !o'ever, stated t!at t!is does not mean
t!at Congress "annot ;resond to t!e imeratives o$ nat/l interest and
$or t!e attainment o$ ot!er state oli"ies or o%-e"tives,> '!ile t!e
resondents stated t!at t!e %udget $or edu"ation !as, in $a"t, %een
raised sin"e 1903, and !as t!e !ig!est allo"ation among all ot!er
deartments.
4. Ees, t!e# still do.
Petitioners/ arguments6 P8 01, '!i"! amended Se". 2 o$ +A 102&,
P8 11::, and P8 192:, '!i"! 'ere all issued %# Pres. *ar"os,
rovided $or automati" aroriations and indefnite amounts, and
t!at t!ese s!ould all !ave %een functus ofcio '!en !e 'as ousted
in <e%ruar# 1902, 'it! t!e legislative o'er %eing restored to
"ongress in <e%. 5, 190:, uon t!e ratif"ation o$ t!e Constitution.
9ven assuming t!at t!ese P8/s did not eFire 'it! *ar"os/
residen"#, etitioners argue t!at t!e said P8/s are inoerative
under Se". 4, Art. CD777G and t!at said P8/s are in"onsistent 'it! Se".
51, Art. D7, '!ere%# %ills !ave to %e aroved %# t!e resident,
meaning t!at "ongress must ass a la' to aut!ori,e t!e automati"
aroriation.
SC6 Se". 4, Art. CD777 'as made in su"! a 'a# t!at it re"ogni,es
*ar"os/ legislation to reserve so"ial order, '!ile t!e Sol Gen
argues t!at t!e la' 'as made to "ontinue even 'it!out *ar"os in
o'er. Bit! regards to t!e in"onsisten"# 'it! Se"s. 51 H 5:, Art. D7,
t!e Court said t!at t!e 'ord ;%ills> re$ers to aroriation measures
still to %e assed %# t!e Congress, and not eFisting P8/s. Also,
;reeal or amendment %# imli"ation is $ro'ned uon.>
1. .o, it does not.
Petitioners6 T!e P8/s violate Se". 59(1), Art. D7, '!i"! asserts t!at
t!ere must %e defniteness, "ertaint#, and eFa"tness in
aroriation.
SC and +esondents6 +A .o. 1029, Se". 41 o$ P8 .o. 11::, and P8
.o. 192:/s legislative intention 'as t!at t!e amounts needed
s!ould %e automati"all# set aside in order to ena%le t!e +P to
immediatel# a# de%ts and %anAing "!arges '!en t!e# are due,
'it!out t!e need $or t!e ena"tment o$ a la' to aroriate $unds
t!ere$or. T!ere 'ill %e no un"ertaint# %e"ause t!e eFa"t amounts
needed 'ill %e s!o'n %# t!e %ooAs o$ t!e Treasur#. Also, t!e
Government %udgetar# ro"ess addresses t!e undue delegation o$
legislative o'er, and ;our Constitution does not require a defnite,
"ertain, eFa"t or Ise"if" aroriation made %# la'/,> %e"ause Se".
59, Art. D7 omits an# o$ t!e a$orementioned 'ords.
T!ere$ore, +A 102&, as amended %# P8 01, Se". 41 o$ P8 11::, and P8 192:
"onstitute la'$ul aut!ori,ations or aroriations, unless t!e# are reealed
or ot!er'ise amended %# Congress. Petition dismissed.
Dissent/s:
Cru,, J.6 Dalid aroriation must !ave a "ertain amount aroriated, i.e.,
t!e sum aut!ori,ed to %e released must %e determinate or determina%le.
Se". : o$ P8 01, Se". 41 o$ P8 1:1: (11::J), and Se". 1 o$ P8 192: do not fF
an# amounts, eit!er %# eFa"t fgure or its maFimum.
Padilla, J.6 Se". 59 (1), Art. D7 rovides t!at t!ere must frst %e a la' ena"ted
%# Congress (and aroved %# t!e President) aroriating a sum or sums
%e$ore a#ment $rom t!e Treasur# ma# %e made. 7t must %e Congress $or t!e
said se"tion to %e meaning$ul.
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