House majority heeds Makabayan solon’s bid to defer discussions on Cha-cha proposal

Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel (Photo from his Facebook account)

MANILA, Philippines — The proposal of Makabayan bloc member and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel to postpone deliberations on House Bill (HB) No. 7352, which proposes the creation of a constitutional convention to amend the 1987 Constitution, was heeded by the House of Representatives majority.

During the plenary hearing on Monday, the Majority moved to recognize House Committee on constitutional amendments and Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez to answer queries about HB No. 7352, which, if enacted, will be the enabling law to Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6.

Manuel intervened and asked that the House defer the discussions, given several reasons like the need to pass more urgent legislation.

“This representation, together with our senior vice-chairperson (Iloilo 3rd District Rep.) Nonoy Defensor, we are ready to accept all interpellations,” Rodriguez said.

“Madam Speaker, I move to postpone deliberations of House Bill No. 7352. I’d like to explain, Madam Speaker, na mas mainam na ‘wag na muna nating talakayin itong bill para i-implement ang constitutional convention,” Manuel replied afterwards.

According to Manuel, there are four reasons why the measure must not yet be deliberated:

• more urgent bills and resolutions
• quick discussions of the bill at the Committee on appropriations
• need to wait for the Senate’s views before tackling charter change
• lack of physically present lawmakers

After several minutes which lawmakers tackled the proposal while the session was suspended, the Majority moved to postpone consideration of the bill until Tuesday.

Before the discussions on HB No. 7352, Makabayan already called on the House leadership to defer the consideration of the said measure regarding the transport strike being staged by jeepney drivers against the looming phaseout of traditional jeepneys, through the public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.

READ: Makabayan bloc urges House to defer Cha-cha deliberations amid transport strike 

Progressive groups also staged protest outside the House complex, calling on lawmakers to stop discussing measures amending the constitution.

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RBH No. 6 was earlier approved with 301 lawmakers voting in its favor, allowing the House to adopt the said measure.  Six lawmakers voted against it, while one abstained.

RBH No. 6 calls for Congress to use a constitutional convention in pursuing charter change, where voters would be asked to elect the delegates.  This is one of the three ways to amend the constitution as stated in the 1987 Constitution, aside from constituent assembly where Congress would sit as the amending body and People’s Initiative.

READ:  No rush to change charter; it’s a decades-old debate – Rodriguez 

READ: Resolution on constitutional convention passes House 2nd reading 

The House proposal uses the suggestions from former chief justice Reynato Puno, where Congress would adopt a hybrid constitutional convention where some of the members would be appointed by the House Speaker and the Senate President.

Puno said this is to ensure that political families would not dominate the body.

READ: Ex-Chief Justice Puno suggests ‘hybrid constitutional convention’ 

READ: House panel OKs substitute bill to implement con-con resolution 

JPV/abc