MANILA, Philippines—Senators Tuesday expressed wariness over the move by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to ride on a bill filed in April by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. pushing for a federal form of government that had won majority support.

Asked whether the President would ride on the Senate’s resolution on federalism, Sen. Joker Arroyo said: “Oh yes, that is the plan.”

But Arroyo reckoned that the President could effect the shift to federalism without going through a messy Charter change by broadening the scope of the Local Government Code of 1991 which was also authored by Pimentel. “It will become a regional government code.”

Hours after Malacañang’s announcement, an irate Pimentel took the floor to dispel what he called “misconceptions” that the President would compel the constituent assembly (Con-ass) that he had proposed to push for federalism and in the process extend her term beyond 2010.

“I’d rather resign from the chamber rather than do it on the sly,” said Pimentel, the self-styled father of federalism in the country. “President Arroyo is not in my equation.”

Pimentel stressed that it would be “100-percent impossible” for the President to extend her term in the Con-ass because, based on his proposal, the Senate and the House of Representatives would vote separately on the constitutional amendments.

“If we have single deliberations and voting, they (House) will overwhelm us and the reality is they can ram through whatever they want,” Pimentel said.

Systems overhaul

But Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who believes that federalism will solve most of the country’s political and social ills, raised the possibility that once the Con-ass was formed, its members could not be “shackled” on what subject to cover.

Sen. Francis Escudero suggested the Con-ass exclude an extension of the President’s terms.

“No government has the moral ascendancy to push or pursue Charter change at the tail end of its term,” Escudero said.

But Pimentel rejected Joker Arroyo’s claim.

“The present structures of government mandated by the Constitution would have to be overhauled. If you modify the composition and powers of Congress for example, you need to revise the Constitution,” Pimentel said.

Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, who supported the Pimentel bill, said: “I don’t think this is the best time to talk about federalism because of the recent conflict in Mindanao ... there is a danger that President Arroyo would take advantage of the Charter change to extend her term.”

“We could resume this probably after her term ends,” said Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Gloria forever movement

Sen. Loren Legarda, who did not support the Pimentel bill, said: “I believe the President’s support for the Senate’s move for federalism is a dangerous move, her motives are suspect.”

Sen. Pia Cayetano said she was shocked that the President would use the memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to push her term-extension agenda. She said she was more cautious now than when she signed the bill four months ago. “The timing is not good.”

Senate President Manuel Villar said it was still a mystery to him why the federalism move was being promoted soon after the government tried, albeit futilely, to forge the deal on a Moro homeland that would have required Charter change for its implementation.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said: “I believe President Arroyo should step down first before any Charter change is discussed. If not, the cure may be more dangerous than the problem. The end goal of all these moves is to have Gloria forever movement,” Cayetano said.

94% House

In Congress, La Union Rep. Victor Ortega announced Tuesday that an “overwhelming” 94 percent of lawmakers who responded to his survey last week wanted to change the constitution with 60 percent in favor of doing this before the 2010 elections.

Ortega said his committee got back 123 filled-up survey forms that were distributed last week—four more than 50 percent of the total number of House members.

The survey showed 115 lawmakers in favor of Charter change as against eight for those who don’t. Seventy House members said they want Charter change before 2010, 23 said it has to coincide with the 2010 national elections, and 25 said it should be after 2010.

Sixty-two percent wanted the amendments done by a constituent assembly, the survey revealed, 49 for a constitutional convention and four through a people’s initiative.

According to the survey, 89 lawmakers wanted a shift to parliamentary system while 29 wanted no such thing. It said those who want a shift to a federal system appeared to be almost deadlocked with 56 saying yes to it, and 54 saying no.

Arroyo echoing Pimentel

Speaker Prospero Nograles took the survey as a sign that the chamber should again take up Charter change.

“That’s quite indicative of the majority sense of the House. If they want it pursued, I will go along and push for it,” Nograles told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).
He dismissed claims that Charter change was a vehicle to extend Ms Arroyo’s term.

“Hello? Let’s put our facts correctly. PGMA (Ms Arroyo) was not—repeat, was not—the one who started proposing Charter change for federalism especially in Mindanao,” Nograles said in a text message. He said Pimentel did and that Ms Arroyo “just echoed” the senator’s proposal.

Mohagher Iqbal, chief MILF peace negotiator, said Tuesday the government formally offered Charter change as a way of realizing a federal state for the Bangsamoro as early as 2005. With reports from Allan Nawal, Nash Maulana and Grace Albasin, Inquirer Mindanao