Lagman backs BBM’s stand vs charter change
Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JAM STA ROSA)
MANILA, Philippines — Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman on Tuesday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to remain steadfast in his decision not to prioritize amending the 1987 Constitution, tagging it as “out of tune.”
“I hope President Marcos will remain steadfast in his position that amending the 1987 Constitution is not in the administration’s priority agenda,” said Lagman in a statement on Tuesday.
Lagman said he agreed with Marcos that foreign investments would come independently, even without amending the Constitution’s economic provisions.
“Moreover, charter change is not timely as we have to devote our full efforts and resources to address mounting economic woes on inflation, poverty, and food security, among others,” said Lagman.
“Cha-cha is out of tune now,” he added.
Several members of the House of Representatives are seeking to amend what they call restrictive economic provisions, particularly on the issue of foreign ownership, in the Constitution.
The Constitution prohibits a foreign company or individual from owning the majority share in a Philippine-based company.
Meanwhile, Senator Robinhood Padilla also proposed economic amendments to the 1987 Constitution through a Constituent Assembly.
But Marcos on Sunday afternoon said that a charter-change is not a priority for him as the country can get foreign investments without amending the Constitution
