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Belgica vs. The Honorable Executive Secretary [SEPARATE OPINION, CARPIO, J.]

GRECO ANTONIOUS BEDA B. BELGICA, PETITIONER, VS. THE HONORABLE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, THE HONORABLE SECRETARY OF BUDGET, AND THE PHILIPPINE CONGRESS, AS REPRESENTED BY THE HONORABLE SENATE PRESIDENT AND THE HONORABLE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, RESPONDENTS.

G.R. No. 210503 | 2019-10-08

SEPARATE OPINION

CARPIO, J.:

I vote to dismiss the petition on the ground that the assailed appropriations in the 2014 General Appropriations Act (GAA) are not the lump-sum appropriations for multiple purposes prohibited in the landmark Belgica v. Executive Secretary Ochoa, Jr.[1] (Belgica I), an En Banc decision of this Court.

In Belgica I, decided on 19 November 2013, this Court struck down the entire Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) article in the 2013 GAA and in effect abolished the "pork barrel system" for being unconstitutional. Belgica I held that lump-sum appropriations with...