Cha-cha consultative body begins review of 1987 Constitution

The Duterte-created consultative body tasked to review the 1987 Constitution has formally started its audit of the nation’s 30-year-old Charter.

Led by former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, the 19-member committee officially met en banc for the first time on Monday to discuss which provisions in the 1987 Constitution should be amended as well as to study the kind of political system the country should adopt.

The Consultative Committee to Review the 1987 Constitution’s mission is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to change the country’s government system from unitary to federal.

While Duterte’s executive order forming the body does not indicate what kind of government the nation should adopt, federal system would most likely be the form of government that the committee would propose, Puno earlier said.

The committee is composed of veteran former government officials, lawyers, and academicians; and still lacks six more members. Its lone female member is lawyer Susan Ubalde-Ordinario.

In an interview last week, Puno said that he already requested the Office of the President to give due consideration when appointing to women members, as well as experts in the economy, fiscal policy, international law and foreign relations, and the military.                     /kga