MANILA (UPDATED) — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Wednesday signed the "corrected" version of the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund Act nearly a month after both houses of Congress approved the bill on final reading.

• Maharlika bill almost ready for Palace transmittal: senator

Zubiri signed the enrolled bill at the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, where he was conducting a working visit.

The Maharlika bill is set to be sent to the House of Representatives for the signature of Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Once signed by both leaders, the bill will be sent to Malacañang for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s signature.

The Maharlika bill, certified as "urgent" by Marcos, got stalled in the Senate Secretariat due to conflicting provisions on the prescription period for crimes.

"The Maharlika bill is a priority measure, and the Estate Tax Amnesty Extension is very time-sensitive. Marami nang naghihintay sa mga bills na ito. Fortunately the enrolled copies were already prepared by the time Secretary Bantug was set to join us in Washington," Zubiri said.

Zubiri did not specify the corrections made on the bill.

"I believe the corrections were thoroughly discussed by the majority bloc in our Viber group including the letter of correction sent by Senator Mark Villar," he said in a message to reporters.

Aside from the Maharlika bill, Zubiri also signed the proposed Estate Tax Amnesty Extension Act, and a measure recognizing Baler, Aurora as the birthplace of Philippine surfing.

The Estate Tax Amnesty program has expired on June 14.

The bill’s amendment seeks to extend the period for another two years, or until June 14, 2025, Zubiri said.

Interviewed over the phone, Senate Secretary Renato Bantug said they were able to finally addressed the issue of the Maharlika bill’s “conflicting provisions” regarding the prescribed period for crimes.

Bantug was referring to Section 50 which states a 10-year prescription of crimes period, and Section 51 stating a 20-year covered period for crimes.

“Yung Section 51 prescription of offenses will prescribe in 10 years. All along, it should have been 10 (years). Since 10 na siya as it should have been from the start based on what was approved on the floor. The next step is to combine the two. Ang magigng section title is Prescription of Crimes/Offenses. Inangat lang eh. Ang nangyari ngayon, pagdating sa body mayroon lang syang ‘crimes slash offenses.’ So, it’s still there, hindi na-delete,” Bantug told journalists.

Both Zubiri and Bantug described the Maharlika bill copy that the former have signed as an “enrolled bill” already.

But according to former Senate President Vicente Sotto III: “Enrolled is if already signed and forwarded to the President. Clean copy or ratified version if for signatures of Spkr (House Speaker) and SP (Senate President).”

Bantug said, they are now trying to check who among their staff can bring the signed copy back to the Philippines.

The bill must be signed first by House Speaker Martin Romualdez before Congress could forward it to the President.

-- With a report from Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News.

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