Supreme Court Lauded for Resolution Junking Makabayan Petition Against Maharlika Investment Fund

JG May 13, 2023

The Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC) welcomes the resolution of the Supreme Court junking the petition filed by the “Makabayan” bloc which sought to declare void President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s certification of the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Bill as urgent.

In a six-page resolution, the Supreme Court ruled that “there is no actual case or controversy here, nor is the dispute ripe for adjudication. Colmenares et al.’s mere allegation of the unconstitutionality of the President’s certification of HB 6608 and the passage of the bill by the House are not sufficient to warrant review by the Court.”

The dismissal of the petition is a clear blow against the “Makabayan” Bloc’s penchant for abusing legal processes by precipitately filing petitions that do not even satisfy the conditions sine qua non of judicial review.

As pointed out by the Supreme Court, “to date, no law has been passed and HB 6608 remains pending with the House for further revisions, eliminating petitioner legislators’ concerns regarding the expedited passage of HB 6608 in the House.”

The Court had no reason to give due course to the petition filed by the descriptively misdescriptive “Makabayan” Bloc led by Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares, former Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel as the same is not ripe for adjudication. The LCC lauds the Supreme Court for being a bastion of justice and champion of the rule of law.