Palace still hopeful Senate will back Charter change

Malacañang said it would still try to stress to senators the merits of the proposed changes to the Constitution despite their lack of support in the Senate.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he was optimistic that the senators could still be swayed to support federalism once its merits were thoroughly explained to them.

“We prefer to deal with the merits of the proposal to amend the Constitution toward a federal form of government and we will pursue that course of action,” he said.

For cremation

Roque made the remarks in reaction to Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s comment that Charter change was “just waiting to be cremated in the Senate.”

Malacañang, however, said there was still hope in convincing the senators to support Charter change.

Roque cited the senators’ initial opposition to the proposed second package of the administration’s tax reform program, which changed when Finance Undersecretary Karl Chua gave a thorough explanation. —JULIE M. AURELIO