Ejercito: Rough sailing for tax reform in Senate

SILAY CITY – Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito said on Monday, June 12, that the proposed Comprehensive Tax Reform Package that includes excise taxes on sugar sweetened beverages, petroleum products, and car sales will have a rough sailing in the Senate.

“I personally have apprehensions on imposing those excise taxes because it might have an inflationary effect despite that the Department of Finance said it is negligible,” Ejercito said in a press conference in this city Monday.

The senator was the guest speaker in Silay City’s 60th Charter Anniversary.

Ejercito also led a forum with sugar planters Monday, informing them of the two significant laws he authored that will help the sugar industry. These are the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act and the Sugarcane Industry Development Act.

“I hope that these two measures could really help the sugar industry in Negros, the hometown of my mother,” Ejercito said.

He added that he will support the proposal of Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri for the lowering of the excise tax for sugar sweetened beverages from P10 to P5 per liter which was approved by the House of Representatives.

“But my worry is if the government would be able to increase revenues based on taxes on beverages using sugar it might have a negative effect, including health issues. On the contrary, some beverage companies may have losses in sales and subsequently cut cost of their operation that may result to retrenchment of employees,” Ejercito said.

“I’m not in favor of increasing that much especially on petroleum products and sugar that will have a domino effect. I’m quite certain as I was able to talk to some senators. I don’t think they will adopt the House version as they find those proposals too high,” he added.

Martial law

Meanwhile, Ejercito said he is backing the declaration of Martial Law, but only in Mindanao because the government is dealing with terrorists not only ordinary rebels or bandits.

“Again, I hope that people would understand. This instrument is needed by authorities to solve the Marawi crisis situation as soon as possible. More than 90 percent of the people in Mindanao support the Martial law and if you are a law- abiding citizen there is nothing to fear,” he added.

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