By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday signed into law Republic Act (RA) No. 12233, or the Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act, defining the scope and extent of the Judiciary’s fiscal autonomy as a co-equal branch of the government.
During a signing ceremony at Malacañang, the President reiterated that under the Constitution, the Judiciary’s budget cannot be reduced below the previous year’s allocation and must be automatically and regularly released after approval by the Legislature.
“Democracy can only take root when every Filipino is certain that the law is the same for all. And that those who create, enforce, and interpret these laws do so without fear, without favor, and without anyone holding them by the purse strings,” he said.
Under the measure, the Supreme Court’s (SC) proposed budget will directly go to Congress as an attachment to the National Expenditure Program prepared by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Funds will be released to the Judiciary automatically every month.
The Chief Justice is also authorized to augment any budget item and modify, through an en banc resolution, the allotment of funds to where they are most needed, such as to hiring additional personnel, repairing courtrooms, or advancing court systems.
In support of his bid for transparency and accountability in government spending, the President said the SC will be required to report quarterly to the Executive and Legislative branches how the funds were judiciously spent.
A Judiciary Trust Fund will also be established so the courts can tap their collected funds to address urgent needs.
“The Supreme Court can reorganize its offices, hire staff faster, and bring services closer to the people by decentralizing operations,” Marcos said.
The Chief Executive likewise assured the administration’s commitment to respecting and supporting the autonomy and authority of the SC, allowing it to operate more efficiently and deliver justice to the people more effectively.
“Higit sa lahat, ang batas na ito ay para sa taumbayan,” Marcos said. “Kapag may sapat na pondo at malinaw na patakaran sa paggamit nito, magagawa ng Hudikatura nang mas mabuti ang kanilang sinumpaang tungkulin.”
-avds
