THE petition before the Supreme Court (SC) questioning provisions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is a deliberate attempt to destabilize the government and reverse the congressional decision to remove P1.3 billion from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) due to supposed lack of transparency in the use of public funds.
Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega denounced the petition filed by Rep. Isidro Ungab, Atty. Vic Rodriguez and their allies, saying it is part of a larger political ploy to sow uncertainty and undermine the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Acting House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo of Marikina City, meanwhile, asserted that the ratification of the corrected bicameral conference committee report is unnecessary, citing Omnibus Provision 2 of the report, which was duly ratified by Congress.
“Our position is that the ratification of the corrected bicam report is unnecessary. This is simply because Omnibus Provision 2 of the Report, which was ratified by the members, allows for the possibility of corrections, within limits stated in Omnibus Provision 1 (typographical errors and adjustments as a consequence of amendments),” she said.
Ortega, a member of the House of Representatives’ Young Guns, called the SC petition a “calculated political gambit” meant to block the administration’s progress and disrupt governance.
“The petition filed by Rep. Isidro Ungab, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, and their allies before the Supreme Court questioning provisions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is more than just a legal maneuver – it is a calculated political gambit that exposes their intent to obstruct progress and destabilize the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” Ortega said.
He accused the petitioners of trying to undo a constitutionally sound decision by Congress to cut P1.3 billion from the OVP’s budget.
“Let us not mince words: this petition is an effort to undo the decision of Congress to cut P1.3 billion from the budget of the Office of the Vice President, a decision rooted in Congress’s constitutional duty to ensure that public funds are judiciously allocated,” he said.
Ortega stressed that the move reflects a pattern of political maneuvering aimed at creating doubt about the legitimacy of the national budget.
“The motives behind this petition are suspect, to say the least. This is not just about budgetary provisions – it is about political leverage,” he said.
He warned that the real intent behind the legal challenge is to weaken the Marcos administration and pave the way for Vice President Sara Duterte to consolidate power.
“The narrative being constructed here is clear: sow doubt about the legitimacy of the 2025 GAA, delay its implementation and weaken the administration. It is difficult to ignore the possibility that these moves are part of a broader scheme to undermine President Marcos and position Vice President Sara Duterte for an eventual takeover,” Ortega said.
He called the tactics “divisive and dangerous,” emphasizing that they threaten not only the government’s stability but also public trust in the country’s institutions.
“These tactics are divisive and dangerous, especially at a time when the Filipino people expect their leaders to focus on solutions rather than scheming. It is not just the government’s stability that is at stake – it is the trust of the people in our institutions,” he said.
Ortega urged the public to reject the petitioners’ narrative and recognize the real agenda behind the move.
“I call on my colleagues and on the public to see this petition for what it truly is: a desperate bid for political survival disguised as a constitutional question,” he said.
He reaffirmed the House’s commitment to defending the integrity of the 2025 budget and ensuring that it serves the needs of the Filipino people.
“The House of Representatives stands firm in its defense of the 2025 national budget. We trust the Supreme Court to exercise its judicial wisdom and dismiss this petition, as it is clearly designed to obstruct and destabilize rather than to uphold the Constitution,” he said.
Ortega emphasized that governance should not be held hostage by political ambitions, warning that such legal maneuvers are detrimental to national stability.
“The people deserve leaders who put the nation’s welfare above their personal ambitions. Now is not the time for gamesmanship or for exploiting legal processes to achieve political ends,” he said.
He concluded with a call for unity and leadership, urging Congress and the public to move forward rather than be drawn into divisive political schemes.
“Now is the time for unity, for action, and for leadership. Let us move forward, not backward, and let us defend the integrity of our institutions and the future of this nation,” he said.
