MANILA, 30 August — Two opposition senators said the absentee voting bill is being held as a “bargaining chip” in exchange for two bills also certified by President Gloria Arroyo.
“The majority is blackmailing the minority to pass two of their pet bills — the Special Asset Purpose Vehicles (SPAV) and the Ombudsman Act,” Sen. Serge Osmeña III told ArabNews.
“They’re holding back the approval of the absentee voting bill as a bargaining chip,” he added.
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said much the same thing although he refused to name any specific senator blocking the measure.
Instead, Pimentel wrote Majority Leader Loren Legarda asking that the absentee voting bill be calendared for deliberation.
Legarda has reportedly agreed but the scheduled deliberation has yet to begin.
The bill was supposed to have passed on third reading in a rump session held by the minority last June. However, it was returned to the floor in a compromise forged between the majority and minority to give members of the majority a chance to include their proposed amendments in the bill.
Osmeña said they agreed because there are provisions in the bill that are seen by some to be “anomalous.”
Unfortunately, he said, the approval of the bill is now being held on condition that the members of the minority allow the passage of two majority-sponsored bills, Osmeña said.
The SPAV Bill being sought by the administration will facilitate the setting up of asset management companies to absorb the bad loans of banks and free up liquidity for bank lending.
The second bill will allow the deputation of private prosecutors as Ombudsmen to prosecute government officials in graft and corruption cases.
The exact agenda of the majority will be the subject of a lunchtime caucus on Monday but Senate President Franklin Drilon said “we would recommend that the SPAV Bill be given utmost priority.”
Drilon said he was instructed by President Arroyo to see to the passage of the SPAV Bill in particular at a legislative-executive meeting recently.
