Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 20) — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday said she supports any plan to question the Maharlika Investment Fund Act before the Supreme Court.
“They have my full moral support if they will challenge the constitutionality of the law in the Supreme Court,” Hontiveros told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers has said it will look into actions it can take along with the Makabayan bloc after the Maharlika Investment Fund law was signed on Tuesday. One of those being considered is the filing of a constitutionality case.
A major concern for some lawmakers and groups is the differing prescription period for violation of the measure.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier denied the alleged “tampering” of the measure after it was approved by Congress. He shrugged it off, noting that the transcript of records is available to prove there was no malicious intent to amend the law and that it was only an honest mistake.
However, Hontiveros said this is not acceptable since it was not the transcript that was signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. into law.
“Eh kung sa bill may dalawang magkaibang probisyon [If in the bill there are two different provisions] on the same topic, one providing for a mere 10-year prescriptive period and another providing for double that a 20-year prescriptive period, kailangan i-wasto ‘yan [that should be corrected] and through the proper process also not through a consensus among a majority number of senators only, not through chat groups,” she pointed out.
While the president has assured the public that the sovereign wealth fund’s integrity would be intact, Hontiveros said this is still not enough because the passage of the measure involved too much politics.
READ: Maharlika fund for luxury cars, yachts? Marcos says ‘far from truth’
Based on the current version of the Maharlika fund law, “the scrutiny of the disbursements will be beyond the scrutiny and authorization” by Congress, she said. The investment projects to be made will also be beyond the reach of elected authorities, she added.
