The Supreme Court en banc has scheduled oral arguments on consolidated petitions questioning portions of the national budgets for 2024, 2025, and 2026 that authorized budget insertions and unprogrammed appropriations.
According to the SC’s Office of the Spokesperson, the oral arguments will take place on April 8 and April 22 at the Supreme Court Session Hall in Baguio City.
The cases will first be addressed in a preliminary conference on February 4 at the SC Session Hall in Manila.
The tribunal noted that the petitions were separately filed by lawmakers, taxpayers, and civil society groups seeking to nullify what they described as budgetary adjustments introduced by bicameral conference committees, which allegedly expanded appropriations across three consecutive fiscal years. These adjustments reportedly involved unprogrammed appropriations and special accounts.
Among the petitioners were the late former Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman, former Camarines Sur 3rd District Representative Gabriel Bordado Jr., former Basilan Lone District Representative Mujiv Hataman, former Senator Koko Pimentel, and former House Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez.
Their petition specifically challenged the constitutionality of the ₱449.5-billion insertion in the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Another petition was filed by Filipinos for Peace, Justice, and Progress Movement Inc., contesting alleged changes to the Special Accounts in the General Fund and other appropriations under the 2025 GAA.
The consolidated cases also include a petition lodged by Caloocan City 2nd District Representative Egay Erice and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Representative Leila de Lima, who are questioning the legality of unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 national budget.