Go tells Bayanihan critics to go to SC

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go on Wednesday said the lawyer who challenged the constitutionality of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (RA 11469) did the right thing in filing a petition before the Supreme Court (SC).

"I commend the law dean in pursuing this case before the Supreme Court. At least, this law dean puts his money where his mouth is. Unlike others who simply resort to posting on social media that this law is unconstitutional, he actually filed a case in the proper forum," Go said in a statement.

On Tuesday, former law dean of the Laguna State Polytechnic University Jaime Ibañez has asked the SC to annul the Bayanihan law, which he claimed is unconstitutional for granting the President legislative authority to exercise power "other than what is necessary and proper to carry out the declared national policy."

Ibañez said the phrase "for other purposes" in the law constitutes an undue delegation of power.

Earlier, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the law will be expired even before the high court can tackle the petition questioning its constitutionality.

"By the way, by the time the SC discusses it, the law would have expired," Sotto, one of the principal authors of the law, said.

Republic Act 11469 would be deemed repealed upon the adjournment of the first regular session of the 18th Congress on June 5.

The Senate earlier in the day approved on second reading the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, which features P140 billion-worth of economic recovery interventions in the country.

Senate Bill 1564, or the Bayanihan Law 2,  enumerates key COVID-19 response and recovery interventions that must be implemented by the government until September 30, 2020.

Go said he hopes the SC will issue an opinion on the constitutionality of the current law.

"It is an opportunity for everyone — the Executive, the Legislative, the Judiciary and, most importantly, the public — to know once and for all whether the law is constitutional. It will serve as a guide for the future," Go said.

"Kung nagkamali ang Congress, we will know what to do next time the situation calls for it. Kung tama naman tayo, sana irespeto ng tao," he added. —LDF/KBK, GMA News