La Union 1st district Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V (Dexter Barro II/MANILA BULLETIN)

The move to question the P6.352-trillion General Appropriations Act  (GAA) of 2025 before the Supreme Court (SC) is a deliberate attempt to destabilize the government, House Deputy Majority Leader La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V said on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Ortega, a member of the "Young Guns" bloc, was referring to the SC petition filed by former Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Davao City 3rd district Rep. Isidro Ungab and former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez. 

“The petition filed by Rep. Isidro Ungab, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, and their allies before the Supreme Court questioning provisions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) is more than just a legal maneuver – it is a calculated political gambit that exposes their intent to obstruct progress and destabilize the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” Ortega said.

The filing of the petition is an offshoot of the supposed arbitrary fill-up of alleged blank items in the 2025 GAA or national budget, which has been claimed by Marcos administration critic, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Out to undo OVP budget cut?

Like ex-president Duterte, Ortega also accused Ungab and Rodriguez of ultimately seeking the reversal of the congressional decision to remove P1.3 billion from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in this year's outlay. 

Vice President Sara Duterte, the former president's eldest daughter, was earlier given a reduced allocation by Congress due to the supposed lack of transparency in utilizing public funds.

“Let us not mince words: this petition is an effort to undo the decision of Congress to cut P1.3 billion from the budget of the Office of the Vice President, a decision rooted in Congress’s constitutional duty to ensure that public funds are judiciously allocated,” said the La Union solon.

Ortega stressed that the move reflects a pattern of political maneuvering aimed at creating doubt about the legitimacy of the national budget. 

“The motives behind this petition are suspect, to say the least. This is not just about budgetary provisions – it is about political leverage,” he said.

He warned that the real intent behind the legal challenge was to weaken the Marcos administration and pave the way for Vice President Duterte to consolidate power. 

“The narrative being constructed here is clear: sow doubt about the legitimacy of the 2025 GAA, delay its implementation and weaken the administration. It is difficult to ignore the possibility that these moves are part of a broader scheme to undermine President Marcos and position Vice President Sara Duterte for an eventual takeover,” Ortega explained.

'Divisive and dangerous'

“These tactics are divisive and dangerous, especially at a time when the Filipino people expect their leaders to focus on solutions rather than scheming. It is not just the government’s stability that is at stake – it is the trust of the people in our institutions,” he added.

Ortega urged the public to reject the petitioners’ narrative and recognize the real agenda behind the move. 

“I call on my colleagues and on the public to see this petition for what it truly is: a desperate bid for political survival disguised as a constitutional question,” said the Young Guns solon.

He reaffirmed the House’s commitment to defend the integrity of the 2025 budget and ensure that it serves the needs of the Filipino people. 

“The House of Representatives stands firm in its defense of the 2025 national budget. We trust the [SC] to exercise its judicial wisdom and dismiss this petition, as it is clearly designed to obstruct and destabilize rather than to uphold the Constitution,” he said.

Ortega reckoned that governance should not be held hostage by political ambitions, warning that such legal maneuvers are detrimental to national stability. 

“The people deserve leaders who put the nation’s welfare above their personal ambitions. Now is not the time for gamesmanship or for exploiting legal processes to achieve political ends,” he said.