MANILA, Philippines — The issue of whether or not to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution is not within the President’s power, Senator Robin Padilla said on Tuesday.
While recognizing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s stand on the Charter change (Cha-cha) proposal, Padilla noted that the Chief Executive himself saw the benefits of amending the economic provisions when he was still a lawmaker.
“Pag titingnan po natin ang dati niyang interview noong siya po ay mambabatas, naniniwala siya noon na kailangan ng economic provisions sa Saligang Batas kailangan magbukas tayo sa foreign investment. Pero siyempre Presidente siya, wala na ‘yan sa mandato niya, tama lang po ‘yan,” he said in an interview over DRZH.
(If we looked at his past interviews when he was a lawmaker, he believed before in amending economic provisions in the Constitution to bring in more foreign investments. But, of course, now that he is the President, this is not his mandate, so there’s nothing wrong with it.)
Padilla said he also recognized the President’s decision to prioritize other proposals that he thinks could help improve the country.
“Pero pagdating sa Saligang Batas, I’m sorry Mr. President, wala po ito, hindi niyo po ito pwede saklawan,” he said.
(But regarding the Constitution, I’m sorry, Mr. President, it’s not within your power.)
“Ang masusunod po dito taumbayan. Sila po magdedesisyon kung ito bang economic provision na sinusulong dito ay dapat nating tanggapin o hindi. Wala po ito sa kapangyarihan ng Pangulo,” the senator stressed.
(It is the people who will decide if the economic provisions we’re pushing here should be accepted. It’s not within the power of the President.)
Padilla, chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, has recently filed a measure in the Senate seeking to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution.
For Marcos, however, Cha-cha is not a priority since the country could still get foreign investments even without changing the Constitution
READ: Charter change not needed to get foreign investments – Marcos