Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday vetoed two provisions in the P5.768-trillion 2024 budget—the creation of a Department of Justice revolving fund and the implementation of the National Government’s Career Executive Service Development Program.
Mr. Marcos said he exercised his veto power “in accordance with my constitutional mandate to ensure that laws are faithfully executed.”
He said he struck down the special provision on the DOJ Revolving Fund because “there is no law which authorizes the DOJ to establish a revolving fund for the purpose indicated therein.”
In his letter to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the President said the proposed service fees, intended to be charged for complaints and affidavits filed with the National Prosecution Service and petitions for review before the DOJ, “lack legal authorization.”
Mr. Marcos said these pleadings “are filed with the said agencies by virtue of their jurisdiction vested by law.”
He said the charges do not stem from business-type activities, as outlined in the General Provision on Revolving Funds in the national budget.
Quoting a Supreme Court pronouncement, the President said “inappropriate provisions” are unconstitutional and that provisions seeking to amend other laws have no place in an appropriations bill.
Such matters, he added, are more appropriately addressed in separate enactments.
Mr. Marcos also vetoed Section 38 under the General Provisions concerning the “Implementation of National Government’s Career Executive Service Development Program (NGCESDP).”
In justifying this veto, he said the section does not pertain to any specific appropriation in the budget.
The President has the power to veto line items in the national budget but cannot add new items or bring back items already removed by Congress.
Mr. Marcos signed next year’s budget on Wednesday, calling it a battle plan against poverty and illiteracy.
— Charles Dantes
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Credit belongs to: www.manilastandard.net
