Chief justice contender Zalameda defends gov’t officials on budget hike

MANILA, Philippines—Supreme Court Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda, a contender for the chief justice post, said public officials responsible for increasing unprogrammed appropriations under the national budget should be presumed to have acted in good faith. During his interview Monday before the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), Zalameda said unprogrammed appropriations are constitutional and that official