Deputy Speaker and Davao City, 3rd District Representative Hon.  Isidro T. Ungab. House of Representatives/Handout

MANILA — One of the petitioners questioning the constitutionality of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2025 denied politics as a motive behind the move.

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Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab explained on Tuesday why he decided to file a petition for certiorari and prohibition before the Supreme Court.

"Dati akong chairman ng appropriations [panel], nahiya ako na nakita ko na na-overtake na ang ating education. Everyone should fight for the education sector budget," he said in an online interview.

"While I was studying the constitutionality of the budget, dun ko na nakita ang blank items at bicam report. When I consulted a lot of people, I asked and I even presented it to the former president, almost all of those whom I have consulted said that it's really highly irregular," Ungab added.

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House Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Paolo Ortega earlier called the petition against the 2025 budget as a "calculated political gambit that exposes their intent to obstruct progress and destabilize the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr."

Ungab refuted this claim by the La Union congressman, saying his motive was to protect the country.

"He doesn't know me. Saka 15 years na ako sa Congress, mag-last term na ako... I don't deal with that kind of diversions," he sa

The lawmaker also hit back at acting House Committee on Appropriations chairperson Rep. Stella Quimbo who defended the blank items in the bicam report.

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She said the report had two omnibus motion provisions, one that authorizes corrections of typographical, grammatical and printing errors, as well as certain necessary adjustments. The second provision states that in case of conflict between the bicam report and the printed copy of the bill, the latter will prevail. 

"Basahin niya yung omnibus motion… It says technical staff are allowed to make corrections for grammatical error, typographical error or printing errors. To put figures in a blank item is never a typographical error, that is never a printing error. That is a substantial feeling up of supposedly a zero or a blank. So let's not change the meaning of the purpose of the budget. Pinirmahan nila yan eh," Ungab explained.

When asked what would be the next scenario, the lawmaker said they will wait for the decision of the Supreme Court.

"It doesn't mean that when the Supreme Court will declare it unconstitutional or invalid, the government will stop operation. Hindi naman ganun," he said.

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