Don’t blame us. Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri on Tuesday, May 16, issued this statement after stressing that passage of a bill requires the reglamentary legislative process. Zubiri was apparently piqued at Congressman Joey Salceda who has called on the Senate to pass quickly a bill that would extend the estate tax amnesty deadline to two years before Congress adjourns sine die in  early June. "If Congressman Salceda wanted it quicker then they should have passed it before the Holy Week break,’’ Zubiri said. The House of  Representatives has just passed the bill on third and final reading and only transmitted to the Senate today, May 16, Zubiri said.. The Senate Chief said the Senate committee is about to hear the bill on Friday. 'Hopefully it will be sponsored by Monday next week,’’ he added. Salceda said the bill which would help almost one million Filipino families would extend the amnesty deadline from the current June 15 to one 14, 2025. Zubiri explained that first of all, all tax measures emanate from the House of Representatives and they just passed that on third reading and only transmitted to the Senate today. "It has to be first transmitted to the Senate before any action can be made, that’s the Constitution," he pointed out. "I’m sure Congressman Salceda is not ignorant of the First reading requirement of the Constitution on Legislation, thereafter the three-day rule for committee hearings," he added. "After which, we sponsor the measure in Plenary then pass it on second reading which take another three days for  third reading unless the measure is certified as urgent by Malacanang,’’ he stressed. Zubiri assured Salceda that the Senate is "going to act on the matter with dispatch but it would have been better if the house passed it earlier."