Arroyo adviser insists on EVAT delay
One of President Arroyo's economic advisers on Wednesday said he will still push for the deferment of the expanded value-added tax (EVAT) law, a day after the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality and thereby paving the way for the tax measure's implementation by November.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said he does not see the Supreme Court decision as a major hurdle in the fight to defer the EVAT implementation on the petroleum and power sectors by June 2006.
"Sa tingin ko hindi naman rason 'yon para humina ang loob ko ( I do not see the high court's decision as a hindrance)," Salceda said in a DZMM interview.
The Albay congressman said that he already had an idea of the high tribunal's verdict so the resolution filed in the House of Representatives to defer the EVAT implementation has been upgraded to a bill.
He said the the resolution's conversion into a bill paves the way for an expedited debate on the matter among congressmen.
"Kasi sabi ng oposisyon, ano daw ang resolusyon ko, 147 signatures is nothing more than a scrap of paper? So pagbigyan ko lang para maiusad lang ''yung debate (The opposition said that the resolution with its 147 signatures is nothing more than a scrap of paper so I converted it into a bill so debates could start)."
Salceda also said that by converting the resolution into a bill, he could ask the President to certify it as urgent. After all, the congressman said, he has at least the ears of the President.
As soon as the high tribunal released its decision upholding the constitutionality of the EVAT law on Tuesday, House Minority Leader Francis Escudero warned that cconsumers should expect an estimated P3.60 per liter increase in oil prices next month once the tax measure is imposed.
Escudero said the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the constitutionality of the EVAT law would mean an instant increase in fuel prices and electricity rates, both of which were exempt from the sales tax.
"This is an automatic 10 percent increase on fuel so if unleaded gasoline sells for P36 per liter now, that would go up to P39.60 before the end of the year, which is just a few centavos shy of P40," Escudero said.
He added: "Marami na talagang malulungkot sa Pasko. (Many will have a bleak Christmas.)"
The Sorsogon congressman added that there are no more legal options to oppose the implementation of the sales tax after the high court junked a motion to declare the law unconstitutional.
He added that prices of basic commodities will also be affected by the EVAT including products that have high transport costs.