By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

GOVERNOR Benigno R. Fitial says he respects the views of Supreme Court Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan, who has criticized the proposed funding cuts for the judiciary, adding that he is constitutionally mandated to submit a budget proposal.
Fitial said he has asked Press Secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. to respond diplomatically to Demapan who, in his letter to the governor, accused him of using “dictatorial means.”
“I also have a job to do,” the governor said. “I’m mandated by the Constitution to submit a unified budget proposal and it is up to the Legislature to decide (whether to pass it or not). We propose and the Legislature disposes. It was very clear in his State of the Judiciary Address that (Demapan) was trying to justify his budgetary requirements. I respect his views but I cannot agree with him — I cannot justify those needs,” Fitial said.
He added, “I also have to comply with a requirement of the Constitution — I have to advise the Legislature when the revenues are diminishing and that’s exactly what happened. We are not going to collect the $193 million that we had earlier projected. We are estimating that we will collect $30 million less and the Constitution requires that I report that to the Legislature.”
Fitial said lawmakers will decide how the $30 million cut will be distributed among the branches of government
“They have received my proposed new budget and I respect the process,” the governor said.
The revised fiscal year 2007 budget recommends 40 percent cuts due to the government’s declining revenue collections.
The judiciary’s original FY 2007 appropriation was more than $4.4 million.