Drilon takes over Recto post; sin tax report ‘can stand’

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Senator Franklin Drilon on Tuesday, October 16, stepped up as acting chair of the Senate ways and means committee, assuring the public that deliberations on a proposed sin tax bill will continue.

Drilon replaced Senator Ralph Recto, who resigned from the post on Monday, October 15, after coming under fire for a committee report endorsing a bill that seeks to raise lower-than-targeted revenues.

Drilon told reporters that the committee report “can stand” and debates on it can start as planned despite Recto’s statement he was withdrawing the report.

“Withdrawal of the report would need the concurrence of the committee or the plenary,” Drilon said.

“I think the public interest will dictate that we maintain the committee report, and we debate on it and at the appropriate time, we submit the amendments. We do not have to start from scratch,” he added.

However, he said the committee has yet to discuss this. “I will call for a meeting tomorrow. So we will decide whether we will retain it or we will recommit it to the committee.”

The immediate start of the debates is crucial in ensuring the timely passage of the sin tax bill.

Drilon said they still eye to pass the bill by November. “We will try to get it in November.”

But he said this target can be extended “a bit.” In an earlier radio interview, Drilon said the latest they can pass the bill is January.

Recto earlier explained he was quitting due to differences with officials of the Aquino administration, which is lobbying for a sin tax measure that will raise additional P60 billion revenues for government. Recto is a member of the Liberal Party.

He was highly criticized for his bill, which will raise for gvernment only P15 billion to P20 billion. The House of Representatives earlier passed a version that will raise P31 billion.

Drilon is supporting the Palace’s P60-billion target. – Rappler.com

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