Postponing the scheduled October 28 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections and thereby extending the term of office of incumbent officials are illegal and impractical, an election lawyer said Wednesday.
President Aquino has a ready answer for those tirelessly reviving Charter change (Cha-cha) at every opportunity: No.
The 1987 Constitution provides three modes for proposing amendments or revisions: by Congress upon three-fourths vote of all its members; by constitutional convention where delegates are elected; or through a people’s initiative upon direct petition of the required number of voters.
Reelectionist senators who joined the First Inquirer Senate Forum on “How does the Senate really work” expressed varying degrees of openness to the proposal to amend the Constitution.
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said the 16th Congress should determine whether the Constitution’s provision against political dynasties is still relevant.
Pushing their cause against political dynasties, a group led by former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. has filed a motion asking to the Supreme Court to review its position that it could not compel Congress to enact an anti-dynasty law.
Saying the Supreme Court had already defined the meaning of a political dynasty, a civil society group asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec), on Tuesday, to disqualify six prominent local candidates—including Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte—for being “clear and obvious” political dynasts.
The Supreme Court has clarified the “three consecutive terms” limit imposed by the Constitution on local elected officials, saying that a candidate who is eventually declared the winner but is unable to occupy the seat due to an election protest would be considered not to have served a full term.
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago believes that a college degree should be a requirement enshrined in the Constitution for elected officials.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Thursday said he was confident about the constitutionality of the Reproductive Health law, following the filing of a petition seeking to bar its implementation.
A new political party has set a nationwide road show to campaign for Charter change (Cha-cha) through a constitutional convention during the second half of 2013.
Egyptians are voting in the second and final phase of a referendum on an Islamist-backed constitution that has divided their nation.
With one voice, Malacañang officials and government negotiators in peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Tuesday stood their ground and said they would not ask Congress to amend the Constitution to make the preliminary agreement to end the war in Mindanao work.
