POSSIBLE DISAGREEMENTS with the Executive on tapping royalties from natural gas operations prompted the bicameral conference committee to suspend deliberations on the military modernization fund bill, a lawmaker said.
“We suspended the conference and agreed to get more input on that particular provision,” Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, Senate panel chairman, said in a text message yesterday.
House Bill No. 6410 proposes “a reasonable amount from the share of the national government in the Malampaya oil and gas exploration and such other similar or related explorations for energy” for the upgrade program.
The Senate did not include such funding source in its version due to opposition from the departments of Energy, and Budget and Management, said Mr. Lacson.
Forcing the issue might prompt President Benigno S. C. Aquino III to veto the bill, he noted.
Mr. Lacson further said during the meeting on Wednesday that the term reasonable amount on the funding requirement is “very vague.”
Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo G. Biazon, head of the House panel, then suggested to replace the term with 35%.
Mr. Lacson said the committee will again meet next week to further deliberate on the priority bill.
The house version proposed a 15-year modernization program, with a ₱75-billion budget for the first five years. Senate Bill No. 3164, on the other hand, has earmarked ₱50 billion for the first five years. The previous Armed Forces modernization program under Republic Act No, 7898 ended in 2010.
Upgrading the military’s capability has been considered an urgent issue given the territorial conflict at the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea) which is reported to be rich in oil and gas deposits.
Tensions in particular rose with China in April over the Scarborough Shoal west of Luzon island.
