SC orders gov’t to comment on petitions vs. TRAIN

FILE: SC spokesman Theodore Te (PNA Photo)

MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) ordered various government officials to comment on the petition filed by militant lawmakers and an advocacy group seeking to halt the implementation of Republic Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act.

SC spokesman Theodore Te, in a briefing, announced the directive was issued following Tuesday’s regular en banc session of the magistrates.

The high court gave the respondents 10 days to submit their comments on the petitions and the applications for temporary restraining order.

Te added that high court directed the consolidation of the second petition filed by the Laban Konsumer Incorporated on Monday through its president Trade Undersecretary Victor Dimagiba to the first petition filed by party-list representatives Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers), Carlos Zarate (Bayan Muna), and Ariel Casilao (Anakpawis) last January 11.

Named as respondents in the petition filed by militant lawmakers are President Rodrigo Duterte, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu, Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Farinas and Deputy Majority Leader Arthur Defensor Jr.

Meanwhile, named as respondents in the second petition were Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Internal Revenue Commissioner Caesar Dulay, Alvarez, and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III.

The respondents will be represented by the Office of Solicitor General.

Aside from assailing the constitutionality of TRAIN, both petitions are seeking the issuance a temporary restraining order (TRO) to immediately stop its implementation.

Earlier, Solicitor General Jose Calida slammed the petition filed by militant lawmakers before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking to halt the implementation of the law.

TRAIN, which was signed into law by President Duterte last December 19, was the first package of the government’s proposed Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), seen to generate additional revenue to fund the country’s investment requirements.

It exempts those with an annual income of PHP250,000 and below from personal income tax and imposes excise taxes on petroleum products, automobiles, and sugar-sweetened beverages in order to offset revenue losses from lowering personal income taxes.

Due to the CTRP, the National Economic and Development Authority earlier said the country’s real gross domestic product would be higher by 0.5 to 1.1 percent by year 2022.