Angara sees Duterte’s SONA remark to him both a ‘joke’ and a ‘threat’

Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara on Monday brushed off President Rodrigo Duterte’s remark against him on the tax reform proposal as a “joke” but at the same time admitted that he feels a little “threatened.”

Angara, chairman of the Senate tax and ways and committee, was singled out by Duterte during his second state address after the President noticed that the senator was not clapping when he appealed to the Senate to pass the tax reform proposal.

“Ayaw man magpalakpak, ah. Pati si ano wala. They are not clapping. Si Angara ayaw din mag-clap. Bantay ka lang sa eleksyon, tignan mo,” Duterte said.

After the speech, Angara told reporters that Duterte just appeared to be joking.

“Alam mo naman si Presidente, pabiro lagi so he asked us to pass it in full so I have to discuss that with my colleagues kasi many of my colleagues have expressed reservations over the tax bill,” Angara said.

“Pag-uusapan namin if we can take it in full kasi there are really aspects na we felt were not debated enough,” he added.

Asked if he considers Duterte’s remarks as a threat, Angara said: “Meron na rin doon sa re-election. Baka if we don’t pass it in full, maybe we won’t be in the good graces of this administration. It is what it is.”

“[I feel] a little bit [pressured] because it is a priority measure. We must learn to interact with the Executive branch to come up with a bill that is pro-people,” he added.

Angara is set to run for re-election in 2019.

Angara’s committee has been holding weekly hearings on the different aspects of the tax reform proposal for the past few months.

Several senators have expressed reservations on the proposed tax on sugar sweetened beverages, the lifting of value-added tax exemptions on housing, and the adjustment of excise taxes on oil.

Duterte claims his government’s tax reform proposal is “pro-poor especially when the people understands how the revenues will be spent.” — BM, GMA News