Pimentel tries to delay Senate debates on Maharlika Fund bill
MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III attempted Monday to delay debates on the controversial bill creating the Maharlika Investment Fund by raising the supposed lack of a quorum during the plenary session.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva had moved to start interpellations on Senate Bill 2020, but Pimentel interjected and moved to adjourn the session supposedly due to a lack of quorum.
Villanueva objected to Pimentel’s motion, prompting Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri to suspend the session for a few minutes before calling for its resumption and asking for a roll call to prove that there was indeed a quorum.
After the roll call, 16 senators were present on the floor, allowing the debates to continue with Sens. Ronald dela Rosa and Grace Poe interpellating bill sponsor Sen. Mark Villar for less than 30 minutes in total.
Senate Rule XV, Section 44 states that a majority of senators shall constitute a quorum.
Rule XV, Section 45 says questions on quorum should prompt the chair to “immediately proceed to a verification thereof by causing the reading of the roll of the senators and announcing forthwith the result.”
This is not the first time that the Senate minority tried to deploy parliamentary tactics against the Maharlika fund.
In January, Pimentel moved to change the referral of the Maharlika fund bills from the Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies chaired by Villar to the Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises chaired by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
This, however, ultimately failed as 19 senators rejected Pimentel's motion.
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