Critics agree that much of Southeast Asia desperately needs judicial reform and rule of law. Yet, there is remarkably little comparative scholarship on law and legal institutions in the region. In this blog, I'll follow constitutional developments in Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Friday, September 30, 2011
More Money Madness
The Philippine Supreme Court and Aquino administration are at odds again, this time over money. First, the administration cut the judiciary's proposed budget in half, from P 27.1 billion to P 14.65 billion. Now, according to PhilStar, the administration is seeking to set aside P 1.98 billion for a new Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF). The judiciary - through spokesman Marquez - has lambasted the shortchange as a violation of the constitution as the government cannot reduce the court's budget. Allies of former president Arroyo, including Senator Joker Arroyo, have criticized the Aquino administration's actions. It's an unfortunate development in that now the judiciary seems to have to fight for its budget every year, which could drain the court's resources and undermine the justices' willingness to make difficult rulings.
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