OSG to challenge Supreme Court budget ruling as 'judicial overreach'

MANILA — The Office of the Solicitor General said it will file a challenge against a Supreme Court ruling that struck down specific provisions of the 2024 and 2025 national budgets and imposed restrictions on unprogrammed fund releases under the 2026 budget.

The OSG characterized the court's decision as "judicial overreach," contending that the high court's safeguards infringe upon budgetary powers constitutionally vested in the executive and legislative branches. The agency's legal arguments center on the separation of powers doctrine and the proper delineation of judicial authority in fiscal matters.

The Supreme Court's ruling had invalidated certain budget provisions and restricted the government's ability to release unprogrammed funds allocations under next year's budget. The OSG's challenge will likely focus on whether the court possessed the jurisdiction and constitutional basis to impose such limitations on executive budget execution.

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between branches of government over control of the national budget, a critical instrument for funding government operations and development programs. The outcome of the OSG's challenge could significantly affect how future budgets are executed and the flexibility available to executive agencies in deploying public resources.