MANILA—Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the Office of the Ombudsman will form a team to examine national budget proceedings and study the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring certain provisions of the 2024 to 2026 General Appropriations Acts unconstitutional.

Remulla announced the move on the sidelines of the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Office of the Ombudsman and the Justice Sector Coordinating Committee (JSCC), which includes 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.

The Supreme Court ruled that the 2024 and 2025 national budgets were unconstitutional because of increases introduced by Congress, while certain provisions of the 2026 budget were also struck down.

The court also clarified that the doctrine of operative fact does not exempt the authors, proponents or implementors of the questioned budget measures from possible criminal, civil or administrative liability.

Asked whether the ruling could lead to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. being held accountable, Remulla pointed to Congress’ role in the budget 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.

Remulla acknowledged that amendments to the proposed national budget may be necessary, but distinguished legitimate changes from insertions made in bad faith.

He said the budget was not necessarily perfect when submitted and could be amended, but warned against officials who manipulate public funds for improper purposes.

Meanwhile, Gesmundo said the JSCC’s partnership with the Office of the Ombudsman marked a new phase in the committee’s work, focusing on 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 said cooperation among justice sector agencies would involve the responsible exchange of information while preserving the independence of each institution.

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