Excise tax bill sent to Palace

SENATE President Vicente C. Sotto III on Tuesday said that he has transmitted to Malacañang a bill that would allow the President to suspend or cut the excise tax on petroleum products.

In a Viber message to reporters, the Senate chief said that he has transmitted to the Office of the President the enrolled copies of the excise tax bill.

The House of Representatives, last week, adopted Senate Bill No. 1982 which bypassed the bicameral conference committee.

The measure would provide President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. authority to reduce or halt collection of taxes imposed on fuel and other petroleum product, to respond to rising fuel prices amid the Middle East crisis.

Mr. Sotto on Monday night said that he has signed the measure and had sent it to the House of Representatives for signing. This was signed and transferred to the Senate on Tuesday afternoon.

In a separate message, Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said that the Presidential Palace has not yet received a copy of the enrolled bill, as of press time.

Also included in the Senate transmittal is a measure that sets the first election of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao to Sept. 14, and every three years after. — Adrian H. Halili