Zubiri blames PLLO for delay in coco levy bill

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri. INQUIRER file photo / LYN RILLON

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has blamed the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) on why President Rodrigo Duterte almost vetoed the coco levy fund bill.

“Ang problema kasi natin diyan, mga kapatid. Itong problema ng majority floor leader, mahina po yung PLLO po natin,” Zubiri told reporters on Tuesday.

Earlier, Congress has decided to recall the coco levy fund bill, which has been ratified already by both the Senate and House of Representatives.

Zubiri revealed that the said bill should have been up for Duterte’s signature on Monday but was suddenly removed from the agenda.

READ: Congress recalls coco levy bill

He noted that the possible veto of the President could have been averted if the PLLO has been on top of the situation during “important measures such as this” and communicated with Malacañang regarding its concerns on the said bill.

“With all due respect to Sec. Sitoy, who is a good friend of mine, matalik kong kaibigan  iyan, malapit ako sa pamilya nila sa Cebu. Pero, sa totoo lang, this could have been averted kung may nagbabantay na PLLO during the important measures such as this. And, to explain to Malacañang itong gusto nila — ok ba kayo dito?” Zubiri said, referring to PLLO Secretary Adelino Sitoy.

“Kasi kung may parameters po sila, hindi aabot sa ganitong magkakaroon ng veto. Very important ang PLLO. So, with all due respect to Sec. Sitoy, maybe he is suited for another office. Maybe he is not suited for the PLLO, kasi hindi natin siya nakikita, hindi siya kilala ng mga senador,” he added.

He also said that eight senators, including him, have complained to Duterte regarding the PLLO secretary.

Zubiri has requested for an emergency meeting with the President on Monday immediately after learning that Duterte may veto the said measure.

“Yesterday, we complained to the President. We were eight senators and ang sabi po ni Sen. [Cynthia] Villar (author of the bill) was…pinasa namin ito, wala naman kayong kibo…and yan yung mga secretaries…wala naman kayong kibo,” he said.

Senator Richard Gordon, according to Zubiri, said that the problem lies on the weak liaison in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The senate majority leader pointed out that there is a need for a “more effective PLLO officer who can liaison all these problems.”

“Yung undersecretary lang ang nagpapakita, pero yung undersecretary, for example, yung si Undersecretary Gallardo, he’s very good, pero he can’t have the effect of the Secretary na who can liaison between Malacanang and the Senators and the Congressmen,” he said referring to Antonio Gallardo, presidential legislative assistant for the Senate under the PLLO. /jpv