The plenary hall of the House of Representatives. (Photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines – The approval of the House resolution seeking to amend the 1987 Constitution and shift the country’s government to a federal system is the “latest gift” of House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her allies to President Rodrigo Duterte.
Senator Leila de Lima declared this Wednesday, as she believed the push for Charter Change (Cha-cha) is meant to “protect” Duterte’s “political interests” and cover up their inability to govern the Filipino people.
Before Congress went on recess last week, the House of Representatives approved Resolution of Both Houses No. 15 (RBH15) that seeks to amend the 1987 Constitution.
READ: House approves charter change
“RBH 15 is the latest gift from Mrs. Arroyo and her allies to Duterte who has repeatedly displayed his penchant for quick-fixes to the country’s problems,” De Lima said in a dispatch from Camp Crame.
“Duterte’s push for Charter Change is meant to protect his and his minions’ political interests and cover up their inability to lead and govern our people,” she added.
The detained senator hit as “scandalous, outrageous and unprecedented” the passage of the proposed federal Charter, which intends to lift term limits for elected officials.
She added the approval of the resolution in only three session days and “without public scrutiny” made its passage “even more scandalous.”
“What makes the passage of this RBH15 even more scandalous, outrageous and unprecedented is the fact that it slipped past us while we were all amazed at the spectacle of some Congress leaders and the members of the Executive Department trading barbs upon the discovery of multi-billion ‘pork insertions’ in the proposed national budget,” she said.
De Lima asserted it is the duty and obligation of Congress to require a “comprehensive and open debate” on the proposed revisions to the Constitution.
“The Filipino people have the right to a full and fair deliberation, given wide-ranging implications of the proposed revisions on all our lives, and those of our children and even our children’s children,” the senator noted.
She insisted that Arroyo and Duterte should never “tinker” with the country’s Constitution as well as the fate of the nation and its people.
“Even when time comes to change our Constitution, our people cannot bet on those who are currently pushing for it. Their words and actions cannot be trusted anymore to decide what is best for the interest of our nation,” De Lima said.
De Lima further said it is a “tragedy” that in pushing for Cha-cha, Filipinos are being made to “swallow” the misleading idea that the current 1987 Constitution has “created the societal ills we have today, and that revising it is the only way to get us out of poverty.”
The senator said the “best Christmas gift” that lawmakers could give to Filipinos is to “lay off” of Cha-cha.
De Lima, nevertheless, said at least the public is “consoled” that amendment of the 1987 Constitution has a “slim chance” in getting the Senate’s approval.
“Even if it does, I have faith that the Filipino people will stand up to defend our Constitution,” De Lima said. /kga