House panel postpones voting on proposed charter amendments

MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on constitutional amendments on Wednesday postponed voting on the executive department’s proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

Committee chair Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said Wednesday the proposal of the Department of Interior and Local Government-Inter-agency Task Force on Federalism and Constitutional Reform (IATF)’s proposal for charter reforms needs further studying by the members of the House panel.

The provisions that will be approved will be included in the constitutional amendments committee’s report which will be submitted to plenary for debate.

However, several lawmakers said they needed more time to discuss the individual proposals which include political and electoral reforms such as development of political parties as democratic public institutions, regulation of campaign finance, anti-turncoatism, and anti-political dynasty.

Some lawmakers also expressed their support towards the anti-turncoatism proposal but thumbed down provisions on the restriction of political dynasties in the country.

“This is now the government proposal from the executive itself. As with the legislative, we have to study these proposals,” Rodriguez told reporters.

“If we rush it, there will be the same problem. There will be questions from members, there will be questions from the media, so we will keep this really full discussion of every proposal of the IATF,” the lawmaker added.

Rodriguez said the committee will try to secure a room for another hearing next week, acknowledging that the lower chamber “could not rush” the discussion.

“This one will be open now. We consider that as a better procedure so we cannot see yet when it will be voted on because of the strong discussions, everybody wanted to participate and we would like to have that full discussion,” the lawmaker added.

The committee earlier discreetly approved a resolution seeking to amend the Constitution in December 2019.

Among the proposed amendments to the Constitution included in the initial resolution approved by the committee was the extension of terms of local government officials, congressmen and senators to five years and three terms.

Rodriguez, however, earlier said that they are recalling the resolution after the IATF submitted its own proposal.

During Wednesday’s hearing, the members of the committee adopted the motion of Deputy Speaker Henry Oaminal to formally recall the December resolution.

Edited by EDV