Robert Ace Barbers —INQUIRER PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Some senators have scoffed at a congressman’s claim that some of them opposed Charter change (Cha-cha) because of their unwillingness to leave their comfort zones.
“Hala huli na naman sa bibig mga congressmen, panay kunyari economic provisions sila interesado pero pang-apat na yan na nagsasalita about their term extension…” Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said in a message to reporters Sunday night.
(Congressmen are caught again with their words; they pretend to be interested in economic provisions, but this is already the fourth time someone has talked about their term extension.)
“Sabi nga ng matatanda sa amin, kahit anong bangis ng isda nahuhuli pa rin sa bibig,” Villanueva added.
(Like our elders say, no matter how fierce the fish is, it still gets caught in the mouth.)
On Sunday, he was responding to Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers’ statement against some senators who supposedly “feign support for Charter change but exploit every opportunity to halt it.”
“They don’t want to carry it out via ConCon (constitutional convention), via ConAss (constituent assembly), and now with the People’s Initiative. And everybody can clearly see what this means. They don’t want to get out of their ‘comfort zones.’ This has been their modus operandi since 1987,” Barbers said in a statement.
Senator Francis Escudero also questioned his remark.
“Huh? I thought they just wanted to amend the economic provisions?!” the senator said, “What amendments is Cong. Ace referring to? Is he admitting that if this PI is passed, they will start with political amendments?”
“Is he referring to their desire to extend their terms and remove term limits because they want to be in a “comfortable zone,” Escudero further asked.
Meanwhile, Senator JV Ejercito pointed out that the Senate has always been “agreeable” to amending the economic provisions of the Constitution.
Just last January 15, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri himself filed a resolution pushing for amendments to specific economic provisions of the Constitution.
The House of Representatives, however, wants a shift to unicameral form “so that there would not be anymore a check and balance mechanism,” Ejercito said.
“That seems to be the primary reason for their push to open political provisions, not to mention to lift term limits. Para may forever!’” he added.
Senator Nancy Binay also stressed that amending the Constitution should be for the right reasons.
“Di dapat pampersonal ang dahilan, at di rin para sa iilan. Kasi pag agendang personal na ang mas lamang na dahilan–malamang sa malamang, may gustong makalamang,” Binay said.
(The reason shouldn’t be for personal gain, and it shouldn’t be for a few. Because when personal agendas become the main reason—most likely, someone wants to take advantage)