BBM-Sara tandem supports call for special Congress session on fuel tax suspension
THE UniTeam presidential-vice presidential tandem of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte is supporting calls for the holding of a special Congress session to suspend excise taxes on oil products.
Asked by a reporter if she will appeal to her father, President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte to convene Congress in a special session, she replied in the affirmative.
“Yes, opo, not as a daughter to a father but as a Filipino citizen,” Duterte told reporters in an ambush interview.
She said UniTeam is for the suspension of fuel taxes and restudy the proposed revival of the Marcos-era Oil Price Stabilization Fund (OPSF).
However, Duterte said the calling of Congress to a special session during its three-month election campaign break is the discretion of the President.
“But of course, since it is a very big problem for us, dahil nga tumataas ‘yung presyo ng oil sa buong mundo ngayon at siguro tulungan din ng Kongreso, both the Senate and the House of Representatives ang Executive department sa pag-iisip kung ano pa ba ang dapat magawa ng gobyerno para sa ating mga kababayan,” Duterte stressed.
“Well, hindi ko alam kung ano po ‘yung direksyon ng national government on this matter, but I understand that there are continuous discussion with regard to the increasing prices of fuel and its effect on basic commodities,” she added.
It was Deputy Speaker and 1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero who first urged the President to call for a special session so Congress could pass a bill suspending fuel taxes.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said the House was ready to convene if necessary during the campaign break.
