Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson Sr. asserted on Tuesday Congress must decide on Charter-change issues in favor of public interest, and not on personalities.
“The proposed draft Charter is not about one person, or for those opposing and supporting it,” Lacson said. “Neither is it about us in this present generation.”
The senator issued the reminder, amid brewing debates on renewed efforts to tinker with the 1987 Constitution, following the Duterte administration’s signal favoring a shift to a federal form of government.
The Palace endorsement readily gained support among incumbent pro-administration lawmakers, triggering speculations that Charter changes will also open the door to other amendments intended to lift existing term limits, among others.
“Therefore, when it is transmitted to Congress, we must base our decision on what should serve best the interest of future generations of Filipinos,” Lacson stated. In fact, he added, that “should be our first and only consideration.”
Asked if he would support Charter changes endorsed by the Palace-appointed Constitutional Commission (Con-com), Sen. Juan Edgardo M. Angara admitted he has yet to read the draft of proposed amendments, but added that he was “open to changes in the Constitution.”
Angara admitted, however, he anticipates “there will be a lot of debates because my impression is the proposed draft involves an overhaul of the present system of government.”
For his part, Sen. Francis N. Pangilinan pointed out the draft Charter will serve as “additional inputs” that will guide the upcoming Senate committee hearings on the issue.
But Pangilinan promptly clarified that senators “will not be rushed into adopting any proposal en toto,” adding most recent polls indicated that “a significant majority” of the voters oppose Charter change with only 3 percent considering it as urgent.
“Clearly, at this stage, only administration politicians are interested in Charter change [that] shows the glaring disconnect between those pushing for it and the citizenry,” the opposition Liberal Party senator said, warning that “it would be unwise and unacceptable to force Charter change on an unwilling citizenry.”
Pangilinan, however, assured that he and other senators will not be “rushed into adopting any proposal en toto, nor will we agree to any self-serving push to amend the Constitution.”
Former Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III, for his part, affirmed that an “informed citizenry is the key” to wider public acceptance of the Duterte administration-backed efforts to shift to a federal form of government.
Pimentel said upcoming regional consultations to be conducted by the Con-com is expected to result in a “better understanding of federalism and result in greater public acceptance” of the proposed shift to a federal form of government.
Pimentel, concurrent party president of the ruling PDP-Laban, said he was encouraged by surveys that showed over half of respondents that were aware of federalism and had previously heard of this system of government were more supportive of the adoption of federalism.
He cited a recent survey conducted from March 23 to 27, which showed 57 percent of respondents had knowledge about federalism and agree with the adoption of a federal system of government, while only 22 percent did not support its adoption, and 23 percent were undecided.
No timetable yet
A House leader, meanwhile, said the lower chamber is yet to set a timetable for Charter change deliberations.
House Majority Leader Rodolfo C. Fariñas Sr. of Ilocos Norte said the lower chamber can not set for now the timeline, as it has yet to receive the complete draft of the Federal Constitution from the Palace.
“[The] timetable is too far the table as such draft has not even been officially transmitted to the House, if so,” Fariñas said. The draft constitution was submitted to President Duterte for review on July 9. It was completed after several months of work by the 22-member Con-com handpicked by the President.
Meanwhile, Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez and head of the Con-com retired Chief Justice Reynato Puno are expected to discuss the draft federal constitution in a meeting today (Wednesday) at the House of Representatives.
Ignore or accept
Meanwhile, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano said the draft federal constitution submitted to Duterte by Con-com is, as its name connotes, just a draft, which a Constitutional convention or a Constituent assembly later may adopt, ignore or accept only some of its provisions.
“The draft provides [President] Duterte enormous power if he heads the Federal Transition Commission [FTC], which, he said, he is willing to do. Aside from appointing members of FTC, he will have a sweeping power of practically appointing all officials in government, including Independent Constitutional Bodies. With the way how [President] Duterte appoints unqualified people in government [except for some], and how these people support his murderous policies, this is a dangerous proposition,” Alejano stated.
The lawmaker also questioned one of the transition provisions, which states that regional states will be required to come up with a plan on how to raise their revenues.
Powers
Moreover, with this draft constitution finally complete, Bayan Muna Chairman and former Rep. Neri J. Colmenares expressed concerns that the President will be given massive martial law powers and that these powers will be used against those who merely disagree with the Duterte administration.
“Under this federal constitution President Duterte can call the ongoing wave of killings of mayors, priests, lawyers, the media, as well as suspected drug addicts, lawless violence and declare martial law nationwide using this ground. This attempt to expand President Duterte’s martial law powers is very dangerous considering that he is intolerant of dissent, and has long been threatening to declare martial law or establish a revolutionary government as his solution to the country’s problem,” he said.
With Kezhia Maglasang and Jose Oscar Magpusao