House tells Senate: Nothing political about Charter change move
LEADERS of the House of Representatives have urged some senators and critics to stop putting malice and political color in the efforts to amend restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, which will pave the way for the country’s progress.
Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. David “Jayjay” Suarez lamented the attempt to put political color in the constitutional amendment being proposed by the House of Representatives.
Suarez, the current treasurer of the ruling Lakas-CMD party, cited as basis senators’ claims the House is bent on abolishing the Senate, when this is just a “figment of their imagination” since this is nowhere to be found in Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6.
“These were the same arguments they have always raised, like they will be abolished and all. Another is the insinuation that we will perpetuate ourselves in power, it’s really the same narrative thrown against the proposal to push for charter amendments,” Suarez said.
At the same time, he underscored the timeline by which constitutional amendments should be made, to which Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has agreed, but which is being stonewalled by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
“I’m quite concerned about the statements of Senator Koko, where he said it may take a year or so discussing the charter change issue in the Senate. So, perhaps that’s what I like our friends in the Senate to keep: We’ll hold them to that – by March [approval],” Suarez said.
Meanwhile, administration lawmakers declared that filing a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) at this stage will most likely be an exercise in futility since no damage has yet been done, which means the issue, particularly of signature gathering, is still not ripe for adjudication.
“We are saying that’s premature. Let’s wait, there are signatures that have been signed, it will be filed, they will have to have a hearing and validation of this. And then probably later they can also file. I am sure any petition now will be dismissed by any court,” Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, said.
Rodriguez has pointed out that pronouncements made by former President Duterte is at most nothing new.
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