By Jose Antonio Goitia
“Anything outside of these established procedures — impeachment or elections — weakens our democracy and dangerously destabilizes the Republic”
I HAVE listened intently to the noise surrounding the budget scandal – specifically, the accusations from individuals like Arnedo S. Valera – and I must respond firmly.
To pin the entire blame for this budget mess solely on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is not just an exaggeration; it is a distortion of both the law and the truth.
In fact, to say the President alone is guilty of this controversy is, quite simply, a Constitutional falsehood.
Accountability starts in Congress
Let us not forget the very architecture of our government as laid out in the Constitution. Article VI, Section 24 is crystal clear: all appropriation bills originate from the House of Representatives.
It is Congress that crafts, debates, and ultimately finalizes the budget, including every single one of those controversial “insertions” everyone is talking about.
If there are questionable items, the accountability trail doesn’t begin on the President’s desk; it begins with those who authored and approved them within the legislative branch.
To try and pin everything on the Executive is not only inaccurate but completely undermines the fundamental principle of separation of powers. We are forgetting where the power truly lies at the start of the budget process.
The veto power is a shield, not a superpower
A significant part of the criticism revolves around the President’s perceived failure to veto enough questionable provisions. This completely misunderstands the nature of the veto power.
The veto is a shield, not a sword.
It was never intended to turn the President into a super legislator with the license to rewrite the budget entirely.
It is a defensive mechanism. Without clear, unassailable legal grounds, vetoing billions of pesos worth of provisions would be an act of recklessness.
It would risk colossal overreach and, worse, could paralyze communities dependent on those very projects.
Responsible leadership, as President Marcos Jr. has shown, demands prudence, not political grandstanding.
Impeachment and resignation calls
The calls for impeachment and resignation are perhaps the most baseless claims of all.
Impeachment under Article XI is reserved for grave abuses of power, culpable violations of the Constitution, or a betrayal of public trust.
Simply signing into law a budget that has passed through the proper, Constitutional legislative process does not meet that threshold.
If their logic were applied consistently, then nearly every President we’ve had since 1987 should have been impeached. That is not law; that is partisan fantasy.
As for resignation, it is not a Constitutional remedy demanded by political outrage.
Our system provides only two lawful avenues to change the leadership: impeachment or elections.
Anything outside of these established procedures weakens our democracy and dangerously destabilizes the Republic.
Transparency demands process, not slogans
I also find it baffling that critics are attacking the creation of an independent commission by Malacañang.
Under the Administrative Code, the President has the full authority to establish fact-finding bodies.
These commissions are not shields to protect anyone; they are instruments designed to investigate allegations and ensure that any findings can actually withstand scrutiny in court.
To reduce this necessary process to the shallow soundbite of “investigating himself” is disingenuous.
Transparency requires evidence, process, and structure, not empty political slogans.
Let me emphasize this:
Accountability in the budget process cannot be reduced to a single person. The budget is the product of an entire Constitutional process.
Congress authors it, the Executive reviews it, and the Judiciary is there to check any abuses.
To single out the President while conveniently ignoring legislative accountability is not only unfair, it is reckless and dangerous.
President Marcos has exercised his Constitutional duties with restraint and stability.
The real danger lies not in his leadership, but in those who choose to weaponize deception purely to weaken the Republic for their own political gain.
(The writer, who holds a doctorate in philosophy, serves as Chairman Emeritus of four civic oriented organizations: Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement, through which he continues to advance the causes of sovereignty, reform, and the dignity of the Filipino people.)
