Senators cool on Arroyo’s Cha-cha resolution

Senators remained cool on Tuesday on Charter change (Cha-cha) initiatives even after Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has moved to push for a separate voting on the issue.

Arroyo has filed a resolution pushing for separate voting of the Senate and the House should they agree to convene a Constituent assembly (Con-ass) on Cha-cha.

READ: Arroyo files reso for House separate vote on Charter change

“That’s good because it fortifies our position,” Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said in a text message.

“But nevertheless, I will refer the resolution, as soon as it is transmitted to us, to our Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Codes,” Sotto said.

The said committee being headed by opposition Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has been conducting hearings on Cha-cha.

The Cha-cha proposal remains pending in the Senate while the House has long approved a resolution calling for Con-ass.

For his part, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon asked the House to just give up on its Cha-cha move, citing the lack of time to approve it during the present Congress.

“The House should give up on convening Congress into a Con-ass to do Cha-cha. There is simply no time in the 17th Congress,” Drilon said in a separate text message.

“And the possibility of (a) making the Senate irrelevant thru joint voting and (b) a no-el scenario, generate mistrust on the process,” he added.

Neophyte Senator Manny Pacquiao opted to give further comments on Arroyo’s move in the House, saying they have yet to finalize their decision on the issue.

“Pagdating sa mga ganyan mahirap magbigay ng comment, marami kami, mag uusap-usap pa kami kung ano ang final direction namin,” Pacquiao said in an interview at the Senate.

(It’s difficult to comment when it comes to that. We have yet to discuss our final direction.) /muf