Senate President Juan Miguel 'Migz' Zubiri on Thursday debunked the alleged tampering of the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill, saying that there was never a plan in the first place.
"There's no such thing as tampering. There [was] never a plan to tamper or sinister move to tamper," Zubiri told reporters during the Kapihan sa Senado press briefing.
The Senate President said the enrolled Senate Bill 2020 or the Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023, that he had signed during his state visit in Washington D.C, United States, is the "truthful reflection of the intent of the members of Congress."
"We just want to put on record that we just reflected the true intention of the provisions as reflected on the transcript of records. There was no such thing as tampering," he stressed.
Earlier, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel claimed that the MIF bill was tampered after some provisions were amended “without plenary authority”.
He was pertaining to the conflicting provisions in the MIF bill wherein in Section 50, the prescription for anyone who will violate the law is set at 10 years while in Section 51, the prescription is specified at 20 years.
But Zubiri said the conflicting provision has been resolved and this had undergone a "correct process".
He clarified that a bill passed in the third and final reading can still be amended, contrary to Pimentel's claim that no changes should be introduced once approved by Congress.
The Senate President said the enrolled SB 2020 is set to be forwarded to the office of House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
He said that Romualdez has declared his commitment to sign the enrolled measure.
"I spoke to him, he said he will sign it. Wala lang pasok yesterday and today, baka by Monday pirmado na 'yun," Zubiri said.
