Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Debates on the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill at the Senate plenary on Monday were nearly stalled after Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III moved to adjourn the session due to a supposed lack of quorum.
Toward the tail-end of the Monday plenary session, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva sought to open the deliberations on the MIF bill – a brainchild of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and also tagged among the priorities of the current administration.
But Pimentel moved to instead cut the session short “for lack of quorum.”
A quorum, according to Senate rules, is defined as “the majority of the senators.”
“In its absence, a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and may compel the attendance of absent members,” the chamber’s rules state.
Villanueva objected to Pimentel’s motion but before he could say there were enough senators present, Zubiri called for a suspension of the session.
Upon the resumption of the session more than a minute later, Zubiri moved to have a roll call of the senators.
“There is a question on quorum duly objected by the Majority Floor Leader. Should you want to have a roll call, we may have a roll call,” Zubiri said.
The Rules of the Senate states, “Should the question of lack of quorum be raised, the Chair, without debate, shall immediately proceed to a verification thereof by causing the reading of the roll of the senators and announcing forthwith the result.”
Villanueva said the roll call will be done “just to establish that, indeed, we have a quorum.”
While the attendance of legislators was being checked, Senators Pia Cayetano and Imee Marcos were seen walking to their respective seats.
Zubiri asked for a count of the senators physically present in plenary for the continuation of the session.
“A while ago, there were 14, plus Senator Imee and Senator Cayetano,” he said.
A Senate staff then affirmed that there were 16 senators present on the floor, giving Zubiri sufficient ground to declare the presence of a quorum.
The motion to open the period of debates and interpellations for the MIF proposal was again floated and approved.
‘Get ball rolling’
Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Grace Poe were the first to raise their questions about the MIF bill. Their queries were answered by the proposed measure’s main proponent in the upper chamber – Senator Mark Villar.
Dela Rosa asked basic questions such as the the MIF’s difference from a sovereign wealth fund and the need for it given the existence of government financial institutions.
He ended his interpellation with a light quip directed to Villar: “Did you find my interpellation a friendly one?”
Poe, meanwhile, said her interpellation was merely “a prelude to my other questions later on next week.”
Among the brief list of questions she asked were on the qualifications and process of selecting MIF board members.
“Because of the lateness of the hour also and we just want to get the ball rolling but certainly, there are more detailed questions also I’d like to ask. Maybe next week,” Poe said.
It did not take more than 30 minutes for the interpellations of dela Rosa and Poe and then, debates on the proposed MIF were suspended.
The MIF proposal had been heavily scrutinized even in panel-level deliberations of the upper chamber.
But its counterpart in the House of Representatives–with Marcos’ son Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos and cousin House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez among its principal sponsors–sailed through the lower chamber when it was approved in December.
Marcos has since certified the MIF bill as urgent. It was also included in the administration’s roundup of priority bills as identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.