But militant solons allege TRAIN “railroading” in House of Representatives
(Eagle News) — Congress on Wednesday night ratified the final version of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion bill, a priority measure of the Duterte administration.
In the Senate, the bicameral conference report on the proposed tax reform was adopted with a vote of 16-4.
Senators Sonny Angara, Franklin Drilon, Nancy Binay, Francis Escudero, JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Gringo Honasan, Loren Legarda, Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, Ralph Recto, Richard Gordon, Tito Sotto, Joel Villanueva, Miguel Zubiri, and Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III voted in favor of the proposal, which would increase the take-home pay of over 7 million individual taxpayers, while at the same time increase taxes on tobacco, coal, and others, instead.
Those who voted against the report were Senators Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino, Ping Lacson, and Antonio Trillanes IV.
In the House of Representatives, militant solons, however, said that the ratification of the bicameral report pushed through despite what they said was a lack of quorum at that time.
In a statement on Wednesday, Act Rep. Antonio Tinio said the “presiding officer and majority floor leader proceeded to adopt the final report of the tax reform bill’s bicameral conference committee, copies of which were not even on hand,” with “barely 10 people on the floor.”
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said this was also despite Tinio’s shouts there was no quorum.
“Since there was no quorum and no actual vote was taken, the alleged ratification is clearly invalid,” Tinio said.
In a second statement, Tinio alleged lawmakers from the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban were “partying in a 5-star hotel” while discussions on the TRAIN were ongoing.
The “party” he was referring to, however, was a PDP-Laban benefit dinner for Marawi City.
President Rodrigo Duterte also attended the event.
“Ganyan sa Kongreso – may boto kahit walang tao, nagpa-party sa 5-star hotel habang nagpapataw ng pahirap na mga buwis sa mamamayan,” Tinio said.
In a text message to reporters, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas acknowledged he was not in the session hall due to an emergency.
He added, however, that he was also not in the PDP-Laban event.
“If any member is contesting the report of the presiding officer and the floor leaders about the proceedings leading to the ratification of the BiCam Committee Report on the TRAIN, such member could bring it to the attention of Plenary or, if not contented, to the courts,” Fariñas said.