Some Senate leaders on Wednesday were surprised by the way Malacañang has certified a bill as urgent with specific conditions.
Senate Bill No. 1945 or a measure seeking to amend the Anti-Money Laundering Act was being tackled on the floor when Senator Panfilo Lacson pointed out that the certification comes with conditionalities.
A certification of urgency from the Palace allows legislators to bypass the three-day rule on approving bills on second and third readings.
However, the one issued by the executive branch for Senate Bill No. 1945 particularly states that it is subject to the following proposals, which were described as “absolutely essential:”
Reduction of the threshold for tax crimes to P20 million
Retention of the prevailing reporting threshold for tax estate transactions
Grant of the requested additional investigative powers to the Anti-Money Laundering Council
The said provisions were reflected in House Bill No. 7904, which has been approved in the lower chamber, the certification read.
“This is the first time I have seen a certification with conditions and possible amendments. It’s the first time. I’ve been a legislator since 1998,” Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said.
Senator Grace Poe, sponsor of the bill which is seen to prevent the Philippines from being “grey-listed” by the Financial Action Task Force, said the certification from the Palace is almost bordering on telling the lawmakers what provisions to approve.
“I don’t think it will be to the democratic process to just pass this bill based on what is written in this certification,” she said.
“I’m trying to be very diplomatic here, but I will always say this: That I will accept the amendments which I feel our colleagues have decided to be what is fair and what is right, and what will be effective in this law,” she added.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said it was his first time too to see such a format of certification—which, he said, violates the separation of powers between different branches of the government.
“Indeed, there are times when the executive department would whisper their wishes on certain pieces of legislation but it is never written down in black and white,” he told his colleagues.
“We will approve what the members of the Senate want to approve, as far as the second reading is concerned,” he added.
Lacson said the senators, “without showing any sign of disrespect to Malacanang,” will just do their job on sound lawmaking.
The bill is in the period of amendments in the Senate.