Daven Tamayo

SC to hold oral arguments on Maharlika Fund, 2025 national budget

The Supreme Court building in Manila. April 21, 2014. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News.

Article (news)

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

The Supreme Court announced that it will hold oral arguments on the petition that challenges the validity of Republic Act No. 11954 or the Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023. The SC set the oral arguments on April 22, 2025 at the SC Baguio Compound in Baguio City. In their petition, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, Bayan Muna Chairperson Neri Colmenares and former Bayan Muna representatives Carlos Zarate and Ferdinand Gaite requested for a temporary restraining order and writ of preliminary injunction against the MIF. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/1/28/-may-nagbabantay-why-the-maharlika-fund-is-investing-in-ngcp-0857">&#x27;May nagbabantay&#x27;: Why the Maharlika Fund is investing in NGCP </a></div> Respondent to the petition are the the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines. “The SC directed them to file their respective comments within a non-extendible period of 10 days from notice,” said SC Spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting. The SC also said oral arguments will be held on the petition which challenges the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 12116 or the General Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2025. The SC noted that petitioners Victor Rodriguez and others argued that the GAA is unconstitutional for failing to allocate mandatory funding for PhilHealth, unlawfully increasing appropriations beyond the President’s recommendations, and allocating the highest budget to infrastructure over education. The petitioners also pointed out that the Bicameral Committee Report on the General Appropriations Bill contained blank items.<div> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/1/28/maharlika-investment-corp-open-to-investing-in-state-grid-corporation-of-china-1428">Maharlika Investment Corp open to investing in State Grid Corporation of China </a></div> The oral arguments will be held on April 1, 2025 also in Baguio City. Before the oral arguments, however, the court required the respondents House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Senate President Francis Escudero and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin to submit by personal service not later than February 24, 2025 the original copies of the 2025 General Appropriations Bill and the 2025 General Appropriations Enrolled Bill. “The court reserves the right to require the parties to submit other documents after the February 28, 2025 preliminary conference,” the SC said. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also announced that the Commission on Elections and  Miru Joint Venture  are directed to comment on the petition of Right to Know Right Now Coalition within a non-extendible period of 10 days. The petitioners are asking the SC to compel the Comelec and Miru JV to act on their Freedom of Information Request regarding Miru’s ownership issues.

The Supreme Court announced that it will hold oral arguments on the petition that challenges the validity of Republic Act No. 11954 or the Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023.

The Supreme Court announced that it will hold oral arguments on the petition that challenges the validity of Republic Act No. 11954 or the Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023.