Ombudsman to form ‘budget watch’ group following SC decision on GAA

MANILA — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said a “budget watch” team will be formed to look into the national budget after the Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional certain provisions of the 2024 to 2026 General Appropriations Acts.

Remulla made the statement on the sidelines of the Office of the Ombudsman’s signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Justice Sector Coordinating Committee (JSCC), including Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.

“We will appoint a group, compose a group that will study the Supreme Court decision and the budgets that came with the decision,” Remulla said.

Asked about the Supreme Court’s decision on possible filing of cases against the “authors and implementors” of the budget and if it will lead to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. being held accountable, Remulla noted the participation of the chief executive in the budgetary process.

“Ang presidente kasi (The president) just submits the bill, the proposed bill to Congress, the action goes on inside Congress and it’s very hard to follow the action, may kani-kaniyang tyempo sila eh especially those who are scheming, to add things and subtract things,” Remulla said.

But he emphasized that accountable officials will be held liable.

He acknowledged that some budget amendments “are needed, no doubt, the budget is not perfect as submitted, you can actually amend it.”

He said, though, that insertions made in bad faith and where “you are already playing around with people’s money” is a different matter.

Chief Justice Gesmundo meanwhile said that, with the signing of the MOU with the Office of the Ombudsman, the mandate of the JSCC enters its new phase — addressing corruption in government.

“That is why our partnership with the Ombudsman is groundbreaking; the Ombudsman’s constitutional mandate, investigate and prosecute erring public officers complement the respective mandates of the JSCC agencies,” Gesmundo said.

Remulla stressed that with “responsible sharing” of information with other offices within the justice sector, independence of each institution will also be maintained.

“Institutional independence and meaningful cooperation are not contradictory, they reinforce each other,” he said.