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Belgica vs. Executive Secretary Ochoa, Jr.

GRECO ANTONIOUS BEDA B. BELGICA, JOSE M. VILLEGAS, JR., JOSE L. GONZALEZ, REUBEN M. ABANTE, and QUINTIN PAREDES SAN DIEGO, Petitioners, Vs. HONORABLE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR., SECRETARY OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT FLORENCIO B. ABAD, NATIONAL TREASURER ROSALIA V. DE LEON, SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES, represented by FRANKLIN M. DRILON m his capacity as SENATE PRESIDENT, and HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, represented by FELICIANO S. BELMONTE, JR. in his capacity as SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, Respondents.

G.R. No. 208566 | 2013-11-19

DECISION
 
PERLAS-BERNABE, J.:
 
"Experience is the oracle of truth."[1]
 
- James Madison
 
 
Before the Court are consolidated petitions[2] taken under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court, all of which assail the constitutionality of the Pork Barrel System. Due to the complexity of the subject matter, the Court shall heretofore discuss the system‘s conceptual underpinnings before detailing the particulars of the constitutional challenge.
 
 
The Facts
 
 
I. Pork Barrel: General Concept.
 
Pork Barrel is political parlance of American-English origin.[3] Historically, its usage may be traced to...