Drilon warns House: Don’t rush to amend Constitution

Sen. Franklin Drilon (File photo by CATHY MIRANDA / INQUIRER.net)

Sen. Franklin Drilon warned on Sunday members of the House of Representatives against rushing to amend the Constitution, a more complex process than passing other laws, just to fulfill the Duterte administration’s plan to put a federal system of government in place.

“Amending our charter is not like passing an ordinary legislation. It is much harder than that. It requires comprehensive studies and deliberations,” Drilon said in a statement. “There are a lot of imponderables and implications that can affect our people of today and of the generations to come.”

“Congress should not be rushed into amending the Constitution to pave the way for federalism,” he added. “Let the committee system work. Let the committee draft its report and route it to its member. Then, let the debate to proceed.”

Problems with federalism

Citing several studies, Drilon said only three regions – National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and Southern Tagalog— can stand on their under a federal form of government.

“How about the poorest regions and provinces?” he said.

Drilon also opposed plans to postpone elections on 2019, because it would prolong the terms of elected officials.

“Because there is no holdover provision in the Constitutionm” he said. “The officials who were elected last May 2016 elections will have to vacate their posts by June 30 of next year as provided for in the Constitution.”

“As the saying goes, the cat is out of the bag,” he added. “Charter change is being pushed in order that the election could be postponed. Clearly, Cha-cha [charter change] is meant for no-el [no elections].”

The administration, he said, should instead focus on mitigating the rise in the price of basic commodities, unemployment, and proliferation of crime.

“There are so many things we have to study closely,” Drilon said in Filipino. “In the last survey that came out, so many more people – seven out of 10 – are saying that we should not change the Constitution.” /atm