kiko pangilinan

VP Leni, House Minority throw support behind Sen. Bam’s Bawas Presyo Bill

Vice President Leni Robredo and members of the House minority have thrown their full support for the passage of Sen. Bam Aquino’s Bawas Presyo Bill to alleviate the burden of the Filipino people due to high prices of goods and services.
 
“Panahon na para umaksiyon at maghanap ng kongkretong solusyon sa mahal na presyo ng bilihin,” said Vice President Robredo during a press conference where she was joined by Sens. Aquino and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Cong. Miro Quimbo and Kit Belmonte.
 
According to Vice President Robredo, it is high time for the government to suspend the excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, which is being pushed under Sen. Bam’s Senate Bill No. 1798 or the Bawas Presyo Bill.
 
“I-suspend na ang probisyon ng TRAIN 1 ukol sa excise tax sa krudo at i-review ang anumang additional cash transfer,” said Vice President Robredo.
 
Quimbo, for his part, is set to file a counter-part measure of the Bawas Presyo Bill in the House of Representatives. 
 
“Kaya kami nagsama-sama upang iparating sa pamahalaan na ito ang urgent na ang problemang ito at kailangan ng mabilis na solusyon. Nalulunod na sa taas ng presyo ang mga Pilipino,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.
 
Sen. Bam stressed that the measure will help ease the suffering of the Filipino people, especially the poor, from the high prices of goods and services brought by the TRAIN Law.
 
“May magagawa ang gobyerno para mapababa agad ang presyo ng bilihin. Nasa harap na ng ilong ng economic managers ang solusyon pero bakit ayaw nilang gawin?” Sen. Bam emphasized.
 
“Ang Bawas-Presyo Bill ay simpleng solusyon sa napakalaking problema ng pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin,” added Sen. Bam.
 
Sen. Bam said his measure, if enacted into law, will immediately suspend and roll back the excise tax on fuel, meaning that prices of gasoline and diesel will go down by P2.65 and P2.50 per liter, respectively. The price of LPG will go down by one peso per kilo or P11 per 11-kilogram tank.
 
“Mapipigilan pa natin ang pagtaas ng excise tax sa Enero 2019 kung kikilos agad ang gobyerno para hindi na madagdagan pa ang paghihirap ng taumbayan,” said Sen. Bam.

Senate Minority Bloc urges gov’t institutions to preserve their independence

The Senate Minority Bloc on Independence Day called on various institutions of democracy such as the Congress and Supreme Court to assert their independence.
 
“Now, more than ever, it is important for our democratic institutions to show their independence amidst the complicated and divisive political environment that we have today,” they said in a statement.
 
The Senate Minority Bloc is composed of Senators Franklin M. Drilon as the minority leader, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Benigno Paulo “Bam” Aquino IV, and Leila De Lima, all belonging to the Liberal Party; Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV; and Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros.
 
“We will not be able to protect our people if we do not preserve our independence and integrity as institutions of democracy,” they said.
 
“Let us not allow others to dishonor and disrespect our institutions, because doing so is an insult to the memory of the brave and selfless Filipinos who fought for our freedom as a nation,” said Drilon.
 
Trillanes stressed that “it is in everyone’s interest that we guard the independence of our institutions.” 
 
“As we celebrate our Independence today, let us breathe life to the liberties that were fought for us by our forerunners by defending the independence of our institutions and by keeping dissent alive in the face of tyranny,” Trillanes said.
 
Pangilinan and Aquino, for their part, said that the people should continue to guard the democracy in light of the proliferation of “fake news” and misinformation.
 
“Sa pagyabong ng social media, lumaganap din ang fake news na nagbabanta sa katotohanan at nagdudulot ng kalituhan. Nais nating mga Pilipino na maging malaya mula sa fake news at kasinungalingan,” said Pangilinan.
 
“We fought for independence from foreign rule. We fought for freedom from a ruthless dictator. Now, we fight terrorism, encroachment on our territory and our freedom to dissent.  In an era of fake news, rabid online persecution and weak political institutions, we need to fight for our democracy now more than ever,” Aquino said. 
 
Hontiveros, for her part, said that “independence and freedom will have no sense without democracy.”
 
“Our freedom can only be guaranteed by strong democratic institutions. I call on the public to honor the sacrifices of our heroes by opposing a Martial law declaration that is not compliant with the constitution. Let us always remember, the promised order of tyranny will never bring us to full democracy,” she added.

Joint statement on Sen. De Lima’s removal as Committee on Justice chairperson

JOINT STATEMENT

Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon, Senator Francis Pangilinan, Senator Bam Aquino, and Senator Risa Hontiveros

 

We are deeply saddened by the events that transpired yesterday. Elementary courtesy dictates that we as members of the majority bloc of the Senate should have been consulted. The concerns of our colleagues could have been addressed if there was an opportunity for a dialogue.

No consultation or dialogue took place.

We recognize that the removal of Senator Leila De Lima as chair of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights as a political reality.

 Having said that, our alliance with the majority has always been based on the reforms that we believe will propel our nation to greater economic, political and social heights. We will continue to pursue these agenda.

As long as we believe that these reforms can be achieved, we will remain with the majority.

Coming from the events that transpired yesterday, we must remain vigilant and continue to assert the independence of the Senate.

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