Senate invites Palace, Cabinet execs over sin tax bill lobby money

Senate of the Philippines. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JESS YUSON

MANILA, Philippines – Presidential Legislative Liaison Office chief Manuel Mamba and two Cabinet members have been invited by the Senate in connection with the alleged lobby money involved in the controversial sin tax bill.

Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile said senators agreed in a caucus Tuesday to invite Mamba, Health Secretary Enrique Ona and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisma to shed light on the matter probably in an executive session.

“Pinaimbitahan namin pero hindi public investigation, pati Secretary  of Finance, and Secretary of Health. Pinaimbita pati namin yung nagdadaldal na Presidential Legislative Liaison Officer. Pinadalhan ng sulat. [We invited them but not in a public investigation. The Secretary of Finance, the Secretary of Health, and even that Presidential Legislative Liaison Officer, who has been talking a lot. We sent them a letter],” Enrile said in a radio interview on Wednesday.

It was Mamba, who supposedly claimed that big lobby money was the reason  why past administrations  have  not approved the sin tax measure for 15 years.

And lawmakers, who would not support the measure  now, he said, would also arouse suspicions that they were on the take from tobacco and liquor companies.

Enrile said  Mamba should  face the Senate to explain and substantiate  his claims.

“Kaya nga gusto namin malaman kung meron silang ebidensya, isiwalat nila. Dahil mahirap binabansagan yung tao, hindi mo na mabubura yung salita na yun,” he said.

Enrile said they  would also ask Ona to explain his claim  that a lot of people died of cancer  because of  smoking.

The Health Secretary, he said, must present also specific  figures to support his claims.