Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 1) — The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition that challenged the constitutionality of the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, the law that gave President Rodrigo Duterte additional powers for coronavirus response.
“The Court dismissed the Petition as it failed to show grave abuse of discretion committed by the respondents,” the Supreme Court said in a statement on Wednesday.
It said the justices reached the decision during an en banc session on Tuesday and that only Associate Justices Marvic Leonen and Samuel Gaerlan dissented.
Lawyer Jaime Ibañez filed the petition on June 2, saying Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan Act was unconstitutional since it granted the President legislative authority that should be vested only in Congress. Ibanez’ petition also asked the Supreme Court to annul the omnibus guidelines on community quarantine saying that the Inter-Agency Task Force, the policy-making body in the government’s COVID-19 response, has no legislative authority to issue one.
Congress held a special session in March to approve the Bayanihan Act, which enabled Duterte to reshuffle the savings within the 2020 General Appropriations Act to address the crisis. Duterte then submitted weekly reports to Congress until the law expired last month.
Lawmakers are pushing for another bill, a proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act which House Speaker Alan Peter Ceyatano said would include “more specific” fund allocations. The Senate earlier passed on second reading its version of the bill, but it adjourned without approving the measure after Malacanang refused to certify it as urgent.
