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JV Ejercito: Maharlika bill only needs Zubiri's signature before it can be sent to PBBM
Philippines
National
JV Ejercito: Maharlika bill only needs Zubiri's signature before it can be sent to PBBM
JV Ejercito: Maharlika bill only needs Zubiri's signature before it can be sent to PBBM
Published Jun 20, 2023 08:53 am
Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri’s signature on the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill is now the only thing left before the copy of the measure is transmitted to Malacañang for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s approval.
Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri (Senate PRIB Photo)
Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito disclosed the matter to Senate reporters in an interview on Tuesday, June 20. “The latest is, I know that the enrolled copy of the bill is already ready for the signature of the Senate President, and then after which it will be transmitted already to Malacañang,” Ejercito said. Zubiri is still in Washington, D.C. for an official trip. According to Ejercito, the Senate’s secretary, Renato Bantug Jr. may fly to the US to get Zubiri’s signature on the measure. Ejercito also said the alleged inconsistent provisions on the prescriptive period, stated in Section 50 and 51 of the bill, were already addressed. Section 50 sets the prescriptive period at 10 years, while 51 sets it at 20 years. “(They were fixed) subject to style, comma, grammar, numbering…but the very essence of the bill, that would be forwarded to Malacañang,” he said. “Definitely, the Senate version is much different from the original version. And all safeguards and safety nets were added,” he added. “It took time because we want to make sure that the fund (MIF) would be used properly and there is no chance it would be used for another reason,” Ejercito also stressed. But Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros expressed doubts on how the Senate was able to fix the questionable provisions, which she said are “substantive errors,” when it should have been brought back to the plenary to be formally corrected. “Sen. (Francis) Chiz (Escudero) in pointing out the right process. That’s the least the Senate can do, and that is to follow the right process, the legislative process, and the rules of the Senate,” Hontiveros said in a Zoom interview. But even if the MIF bill is remanded back to Congress to be corrected, Hontiveros said she will still vote against the measure. Even if Congress corrects the MIF bill, Hontiveros maintained that she will vote against the measure which she believes has “fundamental cracks or faults.”
Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri (Senate PRIB Photo)
Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito disclosed the matter to Senate reporters in an interview on Tuesday, June 20. “The latest is, I know that the enrolled copy of the bill is already ready for the signature of the Senate President, and then after which it will be transmitted already to Malacañang,” Ejercito said. Zubiri is still in Washington, D.C. for an official trip. According to Ejercito, the Senate’s secretary, Renato Bantug Jr. may fly to the US to get Zubiri’s signature on the measure. Ejercito also said the alleged inconsistent provisions on the prescriptive period, stated in Section 50 and 51 of the bill, were already addressed. Section 50 sets the prescriptive period at 10 years, while 51 sets it at 20 years. “(They were fixed) subject to style, comma, grammar, numbering…but the very essence of the bill, that would be forwarded to Malacañang,” he said. “Definitely, the Senate version is much different from the original version. And all safeguards and safety nets were added,” he added. “It took time because we want to make sure that the fund (MIF) would be used properly and there is no chance it would be used for another reason,” Ejercito also stressed. But Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros expressed doubts on how the Senate was able to fix the questionable provisions, which she said are “substantive errors,” when it should have been brought back to the plenary to be formally corrected. “Sen. (Francis) Chiz (Escudero) in pointing out the right process. That’s the least the Senate can do, and that is to follow the right process, the legislative process, and the rules of the Senate,” Hontiveros said in a Zoom interview. But even if the MIF bill is remanded back to Congress to be corrected, Hontiveros said she will still vote against the measure. Even if Congress corrects the MIF bill, Hontiveros maintained that she will vote against the measure which she believes has “fundamental cracks or faults.”