Senator Kiko Pangilinan sponsored and defended the P67.755-billion budget of the judiciary, underscoring the importance of augmenting its financial resources to modernize its systems, open up more courts and hire additional personnel, and reach marginalized Filipinos for the delivery of justice and accountability.
In his opening statement as chair of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, Pangilinan pointed out how a larger budget will help fund the judiciary’s programs and address the backlog of cases across the system—the Supreme Court and the lower courts, the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), the Sandiganbayan, the Court of Appeals (CA), and the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).
“Sa pamamagitan ng panukalang budget ng judiciary, inaasahan natin ang pagpapalakas, pagtutulungan at pagbibigay ng maagap at konstruktibong pagtugon ng ating mga korte sa mga mahigpit na isyu na kinakaharap ng ating bansa,” the veteran legislator said.
“Ang layunin natin ay siguraduhin na sapat ang pondong ibibigay pero tiyaking may malinaw na resulta at epekto sa pagresolba ng mga kaso sa lalong madaling panahon,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
The senator emphasized the role of the judiciary in good governance, saying that it is now under intense pressure from the public to make sure those behind the multi-billion-peso flood control corruption will be held to account.
“Whatever is heard in the Blue Ribbon Committee eventually will be brought before the judiciary.”
“While the Blue Ribbon Committee was being monitored by our citizens with eagle eyes, in the end whatever is heard in the Blue Ribbon Committee eventually will be brought before the judiciary – where the sentencing, or the trial, or the arraignment, and hopefully the accountability will be achieved not in decades or many years but swiftly as mandated by the Constitution,” he explained.
During the interpellation, manifestation, and interjection of Senators Erwin Tulfo, Migz Zubiri, Rodante Marcoleta, Ping Lacson, Robin Padilla, Jinggoy Estrada, and Loren Legarda, the senator justified the additional budget for the judiciary’s programs and projects.
Among these are the strengthening of the supervision of lower courts, the Philippine Judicial Marshal Service, the Unified Legal Aid Service, the adjudication of Supreme Court cases, the Justice Sector Convergence Program, Filipino Sign Language in Courts, and the maintenance and operating expenses of the whole judiciary.
He likewise pushed—upon approval from Senator Win Gatchalian, the chairman of the Committee on Finance—for an additional P200-million budget to put up a third Sharia Court, the issue of which was raised by Padilla.
“These are meaningful investments to strengthen the justice system.”
“Hindi luho ang mga nasabing budget item. These are meaningful investments to strengthen the justice system. Ngayon, dedepensahan natin ang budget. Hindi lang para sa institusyon, pero para sa buong sambayanan,” Pangilinan said.
In previous hearings of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, the senator has put the judiciary to task repeatedly, pointing out its role in restoring public trust by making sure corrupt government officials and individuals are punished.
