Duterte to respect decision of Congress if it voids EO lowering pork tariffs

FILE PHOTO: Vendors sell pork meat in the market. INQUIRER/GRIG C.MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will respect the decision of Congress should it revoke his order reducing the tariffs on imported pork, Malacañang said Monday.

Senators have urged the President to recall his Executive Order No. 128 lowering tariffs on imported pork, saying this would kill the local hog industry.

“Nakikinig naman po ang Presidente. At alam naman po ng Presidente na sa ating Saligang Batas, ang talagang mayroong primary jurisdiction pagdating sa taripa ay ang Kongreso,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing.

(The President listens. And the President knows that under our Constitution, Congress has the primary jurisdiction when it comes to tariffs.)

READ: Duterte temporarily cuts tariff rate for imported pork products

READ: No to ‘botcha’ policies: Senators urge Duterte to junk EO on pork tariff cuts

“So kung magdedesisyon po ang Kongreso natin, ang Senado at ang Kamara na talagang bawiin ung executive order ng Presidente, ‘yan naman po ay saklaw ng kapangyarihan ng Kongreso at rerespetuhin po ‘yan ng ating Presidente,” he added.

(If Congress, the Senate and the House, will decide to rescind the President’s executive order, that is under their powers and the President will respect it.)

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon earlier said Duterte’s EO might be assailed since it was issued while Congress was on break.

The Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, the basis for EO 128, allows the President to increase, reduce or remove existing rates of import duty “while Congress is not in session.”

But the law also says that the power to modify tariff rates “may be withdrawn or terminated by Congress through a joint resolution.”

KGA