If President Arroyo decides to call a special session of Congress next week to pass a crucial value added tax (VAT) bill, the House of Representatives, and maybe even the Senate, might lack a necessary quorum.
The reason? Scores of lawmakers have left or are preparing to leave for Las Vegas, Nevada.
At least 30 congressmen are joining the exodus to Las Vegas, primarily to watch what is billed as a blockbuster fight between Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao and his Mexican opponent Erik Morales on Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila).
“Many of our colleagues are leaving tomorrow with FG,” a House leader told The STAR yesterday, referring to First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.
“Most of those accompanying FG belong to Kampi,” said the source, who asked not to be identified for obvious reasons. Kampi is a political group identified with the President and her husband. It is led by Antipolo City Rep. Ronaldo Puno.
At least four congressmen were already in Los Angeles, the stopover before Las Vegas, as of yesterday. They are Luis Bersamin of Abra, Eric Singson of Ilocos Sur, Luis Asistio of Caloocan City, and Rodolfo Plaza of Agusan del Sur.
Bersamin and Singson are members of the majority bloc, while Asistio and Plaza are with the minority.
Ignacio Arroyo of Negros Occidental, the First Gentleman?s brother, is scheduled to leave for Las Vegas today. It could not be ascertained whether he would be traveling with the party of Mrs. Arroyo?s husband.
Besides Bersamin, Plaza, Asistio and Singson, at least two senators are now in Las Vegas, Anthony Taberna of radio station dzMM reported yesterday morning.
Another House leader told reporters that the President should not call Congress to a special session next week and should just await the resumption of session on April 11 for the approval of the controversial VAT bill.
“Mapapahiya lang kami (We would just get embarrassed). I doubt if we can muster quorum,” he said.
He said if either chamber of Congress fails to gather enough members, the special session would be useless and fruitless.
He recalled that last Jan. 5-7, when the President last asked the legislature to hold a special session to approve the 2005 budget, the House had difficulty gathering enough members since lawmakers were still on their extended Christmas vacations.
Mrs. Arroyo requested the special session against the advice of many senators and congressmen who told her she should just wait for the resumption of congressional session.
The two chambers failed to approve the budget during their three-day special meeting. The outlay was passed only recently and was in fact signed by Mrs. Arroyo only last Tuesday.
Other congressmen, however, said it is not proper for a large group of lawmakers and government officials to travel to Las Vegas ? especially considering the country?s precarious economic situation.
“We can just watch (the fight) on television. At a time when we are supposedly facing a fiscal crisis, a big delegation going to the city of casinos and slot machines is sending the wrong message,” one opposition congressman said.
Besides those traveling to Las Vegas, several congressmen have already left for other foreign destinations for a vacation.
