Colmenares: ‘Senate-less’ Con-ass to put PH in constitutional crisis

Former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares (File photo by KIMBERLY DELA CRUZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s insistence for the Congress to hold proceedings as a constituent assembly (Con-ass) despite the absence of senators would put the country in a constitutional crisis, a former progressive lawmaker said Thursday.

Former Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares said that it would be “unconstitutional” and “absurd” for the Congress to vote for amendments in the Constitution jointly while ordinary laws need separate approval of both chambers.

“This is going to put the country on the road to a constitutional crisis just because [House] members want to convene a self-serving Con-ass to approve a self-serving [Charter change],” Colmenares said in a text message to INQUIRER.net.

“It is not true that the Constitution expressly declared that Congress vote jointly. It does not. It is unconstitutional for the House to convene a Senateless Con-ass. It is absurd for Congress to insist that amendments to the Constitution can be voted jointly while ordinary laws need the approval of both houses voting separately,” he added.

Alvarez said that the Congress as Con-ass would continue to conduct hearings to amend the 1987 Constitution even without the attendance of senators. He claimed that the members of the House of Representatives, if Congress votes jointly, could meet the three-fourths vote to amend provisions in the Charter.

READ: Alvarez: Con-ass to push through even without senators

The Speaker made the statement after senators threatened to boycott the proceedings if the lower chamber insists on a joint voting.

Colmenares reminded Alvarez of the failed Resolution No. 1109 under Speaker Prospero Nograles in 2009, in which members of the House overwhelmingly approved the same “Senate-less” Con-ass.

“In the end, the move was defeated not by the Senate or the Courts but by the people including the various churches who showed outrage against such a self-serving act. The people must oppose this latest ramming of Cha-cha down our throats,” he said. /je