Atty. Macalintal’s position welcomed

MEMBERS of the House of Representatives on Monday proposed the holding of an early plebiscite for the ratification by the people of proposed amendments to the Constitution’s restrictive economic provisions.

They made the proposal in a news briefing in response to a statement by veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal that holding the plebiscite together with the May 2025 local-congressional elections would be unconstitutional.

Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. David “Jay-jay” Suarez and Representatives Geraldine Roman of Bataan, Jeffrey Khonghun of Zambales, and Franciso Paolo Ortega of La Union said they welcomed Macalintal’s statement.

“I have been consistent with my position na hindi po talaga dapat isabay po ito sa mid-term elections natin. Ang unang dahilan, sa pananaw ko po is we cannot allow the Constitution to undergo political mudslinging and be politicized by what happens during midterm elections,” Suarez said.

“Number two, we cannot allow that the Constitution be tackled in the same level as midterm elections because mas mahalagang pag-usapan natin ang Konstitusyon, kaya dapat naka bukod po ito pagdating sa pagbobotohan,” he said.

Roman said the Macalintal’s statement “affirms the House stand that a separate plebiscite should be held and the idea of holding it together with national elections is counterproductive.”

“It is also a reminder to our colleagues in the Senate that we would have to work with a sense of urgency. If the ultimate goal is basically to approve RBH 6, it should be approved at the time when we do not have to hold a plebiscite alongside the national elections,” she said, referring to the resolution contained proposed economic amendments pending in the Senate.

“Maliwanag po ‘yan, hindi po mabuti na mangyari ‘yan ‘pag sasabay at sa ganitong kadahilanan ay dapat medyo maging efficient po tayo sa ating trabaho. Just a friendly reminder,” she said.

Roman urged senators to shed their “irrational fears” that the House would eventually consider political amendments.

“No politician in his right mind would actually try or even attempt to introduce political amendments when for the longest time, we have been assuring our friends in the Senate na we are only interested in amending the economic provisions,” she said.

“And of course malinaw naman yung pakiusap din ng ating Pangulo, malinaw din po ang pakiusap ng ating Speaker, purely economic provisions lang po. So trust us, trust us…it’s not good to operate on the basis of irrational fears…we really need is to be rational, to be professional about it, and be efficient,” she said.

Khonghun said it would be better for Filipino voters to understand the proposed amendments if a plebiscite is conducted separately from the midterm elections in May next year.

“Mas maganda na ihiwalay na lamang ito at gawing mas maagang plebesito dahil mahirap kung nadadamay sa pulitika ang ating Konstitusyon. Para ‘din maintindihan, maunawaan, at maisapuso ng ating mga kababayan,” Khonghun said.

For his part, Ortega said the Constitution should be put “on a pedestal platform on its own at hindi nga po natin dapat talaga na siya na sinasabay sa midterm elections.”

“Kaya nga po tayo may RBH 7 (House version of proposed amendments) ngayon, we are showing them that this is purely economic itong exercise natin to…and inaalis po natin ‘yung lagi nilang sinasaksak na sinasabi na political, political ‘yang Cha-Cha na ‘yan…’pag dumating na po sa plebisito, ipapakita rin po natin na it’s not about, it’s not political, it’s really economic,” Ortega said.

Suarez said with the Macalintal statement, they have the “legal basis” to insist on the conduct of the plebiscite earlier than the May 2025 elections.

“You know, the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and we have to protect it, we have to uphold it, we have to safeguard it, and in doing so, we have to make sure that when we do conduct amendments and go through a plebiscite for it, nakatutok lamang ang atensyon at pag-uunawa ng tao sa pag uusapan natin,” he added.

“Kasi pag inilabas po natin ang ating mga amendments, we cannot allow that the Filipino people do not understand what the amendments are and whether they are beneficial and how are they gonna help progress the country moving forward. So, we welcome the position of Atty. Macalintal and I hope our friends in the Senate will be enlightened by the legal opinion of the good lawyer,” Suarez stressed.

The Quezon lawmaker pointed out that he could not understand why the Senate wanted the plebiscite to coincide with the 2025 polls.

“Akala ko ba sila ‘yung nangangamba na may political aspect yung amendments ng Constitution. Sila mismo pino-politicize na nila by the mere fact that they want it coinciding with the midterm elections. So, we welcome the (Macalintal) opinion. Now I hope we can move forward with this,” he said.

He said it is also important for the House to find out the Senate timeline.

“Ano ba ang timeline ng Senate? Kasi kami, 11 o’clock na yata kami nag-suspend nung nakaraang Linggo at tuloy-tuloy po ‘yung discussions namin sa RBH 07, and continuous din po yung commitment ng ating House Speaker that we need an exhaustive, inclusive deliberations on these amendments,” he added.