Rodriguez

Senate scraps hearing on House Charter amendment resolution

March 20, 2023 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco 189 views

At last minute without explanation

THE Senate has cancelled its hearing on the House constitutional amendment resolution, set for Monday, at the last minute without sufficient notice to invited resource persons.

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, who chairs the House committee on constitutional amendments and who was invited to the hearing, expressed his disappointment over the cancellation.

“After inviting me last March 14, I received last night a notice of cancellation from the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes. I was already prepared to go to the Senate today at 10 a.m. to present to the senators the basis of our RBH 6 and HB 7352 which were all data-driven, evidence-based, and future-proof,” Rodriguez said.

He was referring to Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, which calls for the convening of a constitutional convention to propose changes in the Charter’s economic provisions, and House Bill No. 7352, which implements the resolution.

Rodriguez said there was no reason given for the cancellation of the Senate hearing in the notice he received.

He said he read from media reports the assurances of Sen. Robinhood Padilla, his Senate counterpart, that today’s hearing would be held as scheduled.

Padilla told a news conference on Friday that aside from Rodriguez, he had requested other House members to attend his panel’s hearing.

He also appealed to other senators to listen to what congressmen would way.

“I wish members of the Senate would listen to what the (House members) are pushing for. I just want to be fair. I don’t want the House to think that I prevented their efforts,” he said.

Padilla added that he hoped other senators would find time to listen to constitutional economic reform advocates in the House.

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