The lawmakers of the Makabayan bloc on Monday filed a petition seeking to declare the certification of the urgency of the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill as void and unconstitutional.
Makabayan lawmakers namely, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Castro led the filing of the petition before the Supreme Court.
In an interview with the media, Brosas said they are questioning President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.'s urgent certification of House Bill 6398 or the Maharlika Investment Act as he did not mention that there is a public calamity or even emergency to justify this move.
"Meron tayong hinihingi sa Supreme Court na guidance. Kaugnay nito, dapat nakabase sa calamity at emergency ang certification. Kaya po ito ay question ng batas," Brosas added.
Article VI Section 26 of the Philippine 1987 Constitution states that no bill shall be passed into law except "when the President certifies to the necessity of its immediate enactment to meet a public calamity or emergency."
The Makabayan bloc lawmaker also cited that the Senate did not certify the bill as urgent, hence there is no calamity or emergency.
"Wala rin certification from the Senate kaya ang tanong natin kung ano ang urgency ng Maharlika Investment fund sa kalukuyan?" Brosas said.
Apart from this, the Makabayan lawmakers seek to declare the House's approval of the Maharlika Bill on the third and final reading as unconstitutional and void.
On December 15 last year, Congress approved HB 6498 on the third and final reading after Marcos certified it as urgent.
The measure was passed fifteen days after House Speaker Martin Romualdez filed the measure.
