MANILA, Philippines - Congressmen revived their Charter change (Cha-cha) initiative last night even with the May 10, 2010 general elections fast approaching.They adopted a resolution calling for the convening of a constitutional convention (con-con) to propose amendments to the Constitution.
Adoption of the measure came on the last day of session before lawmakers went on a 10-day break for the filing of certificates of candidacy for next year’s elections.
La Union Rep. Victor Ortega, chairman of the committee on constitutional amendments and sponsor of the resolution, said con-con delegates would be elected on Oct. 25, 2010 simultaneously with barangay officials to save on cost.
“We have previously appropriated P3 billion for the barangay election and the simultaneous election of convention delegates would entail only a small cost on the part of the Commission on Elections,” he said.
He said since convention delegates would be elected toward the end of next year, they would be able to meet in 2011.
Funding requirements for the convention would be included in the 2011 budget, he added.
His committee earlier estimated that a con-con would cost taxpayers at least P2 billion.
Ortega told his colleagues that there would be one delegate per congressional district.
Convention members would not get monthly salaries and would receive only an allowance for attendance in sessions of the convention or meetings and hearings of its committees, he said.
He said he hoped senators would pass a similar resolution calling for a constitutional convention.
He pointed out that there are at least three con-con proposals pending in the Senate.
Rep. Teodoro Casiño of the party-list group Bayan Muna said with the adoption of the con-con resolution, the House is now taking two approaches to pursue Cha-cha.
He reminded his colleagues that only last June, they adopted Resolution 1l09, which calls on “members of Congress” to convene as a constituent assembly (con-ass) to amend the Charter.
Administration allies had planned to meet as a con-ass in July after President Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address, but the plan did not materialize.
Casiño said Mrs. Arroyo’s allies should better leave the matter of Cha-cha to her successor who will be elected in May.
Among presidential aspirants, it is resigned Defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., Lakas-Kampi standard-bearer, who has expressed support for amending the Constitution through a con-con.
His cousin Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, who is the Liberal Party’s presidential candidate, is not inclined to tamper with the Charter written during the time of his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=524691&publicationSubCategoryId=63
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