Senate opens, vows more probes, Charter change debate

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has vowed more inquiries into “venalities” in government, as he pushed for Charter change (Cha-cha) to amend restrictive economic provisions in the Constitution.

Other senators did not rule out the approval of “sin taxes” to generate government revenue, as the 15th Congress opened its second regular session on Monday.

Enrile said there could be more anomalies out there like those unearthed by the Senate in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, in government-owned and -controlled corporations, and the Coconut Industry Investment Fund.

“And the Senate will not back down from unveiling them. It is the duty of the Senate of the people of this country to stand up courageously against all odds to expose venalities in government, wherever those venalities come from,” he said in his resumption speech.

He said the senators would craft legislation to “correct what is wrong in the bureaucracy.”

“We can no longer temporize, hesitate, or even keep quiet about these things,” he added.

The Senate convened at 10 a.m. with the session hall packed with diplomats, led by US Ambassador Harry Thomas, former lawmakers and other VIPs.

Twenty-two senators were present, the exception being Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Enrile exhorted his colleagues and their counterparts in the House of Representatives to begin debating amendments to economic provisions of the Constitution that restrict foreign ownership of local industries.

He and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. had tackled the possibility of calendaring debates on the touchy issue, and planned to meet with President Aquino on this.

Now’s appropriate time

“Congressional action on this proposition may not come soon enough but now, in my humble opinion, is the appropriate time, not later, to lay it down on the table. As elected officials, we should be bold enough, willing enough to gamble our future to finally discuss the need to initiate this,” Enrile said.

He said debates on the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill would also be calendared, adding that “we also look forward to an enlightening, vibrant discussion on the pros and cons of this proposed law.”

Enrile also listed legislation that urgently needs to be crafted such as the National Land Use Policy, the Anti-Trust Bill and a measure rationalizing fiscal incentives.

“A fiscal incentives bill that shall not only grant and give away the tax money of the people in the name of development but a tax incentive bill that will really create jobs in this country, not for foreigners but for Filipinos,” he said.

Enacting sin taxes

Sen. Franklin Drilon said the administration was exploring the possibility of enacting “sin taxes” to generate more revenue.

“Sin taxes is one area we can explore for additional revenues,” he told reporters. “I think we would have enough if we can pass the revisions on the sin taxes and the rationalization of fiscal incentives and the privatization of the gaming industry. We are almost home insofar as our revenues are concerned.”

To deal with China’s increasing incursions into the disputed Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea, Enrile said the armed forces’ lack of materiel and equipment must be reversed.

And since climate change is upon us, Enrile batted for approval of the People’s Survival Fund “to protect communities from the worst impacts of climate change.”