No malicious intent to tamper; Maharlika bill unscathed— Zubiri

Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri. (Senate PRIB photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Thursday debunked the alleged tampering of the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund bill and maintained that the “enrolled” bill he signed was the “truthful reflection of the intent of legislators.”

The statement was issued after Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III argued that the enrolled bill being sent to the President was not the version approved by Congress, alleging that a provision was changed without plenary consent.

Zubiri, however, disputed Pimentel’s contention. He explained in a press conference Thursday that the bill had two prescriptive periods: one in Section 50 for “crimes” at ten years and one in Section 51 for 20 years.

Zubiri said merging the two sections retained the 10-year prescriptive term.

“This process is not tantamount to falsification. This is the usual legislative process that we go through. We are only reflecting the true essence of what was discussed in the plenary. Until it was signed by me under enrolled copy, it can still be corrected subject to style,” said Zubiri.

“Let me repeat, it has been done in the past. Magiging questionable lang kapag may ininsert na hindi napagusapan sa plenary, that’s what’s illegal and unconstitutional,” he furthered.

(It will only become questionable when something is inserted that was not discussed in the plenary, that’s what’s [both] illegal and unconstitutional.)

Zubiri stressed that human errors such as these are inevitable, calling it “an honest oversight.”

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JPV/abc