Escudero: Clarify ‘rules of the Senate’ on adoption of Cha-cha proposals

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Warning against potential bickering and confusion, Senator Francis Escudero on Wednesday urged his colleagues to clarify the upper chamber’s rules on the adoption of Charter change (Cha-cha) proposals.

Speaking at the Senate’s Wednesday plenary session, Escudero warned against proceeding with succeeding hearings on economic Cha-cha without a clear set of guidelines in the Rules of the Senate.

According to the senator, the Rules of the Senate do not have a specific section on procedures on constitutional amendments unlike the House of Representatives.

“I raise this because we do not have a counterpart or similar rule. And right now, as things stand, the House of Representatives it seems has a rule on how to adopt proposals or reject proposals to amend the constitution while the Senate does not,” Escudero said.

Escudero proceeded to cite Sections 143 and 144 of House Rules XXI, which according to him states that “the Congress, upon a vote of three fourths of all its members, may propose amendment(s) to or revision of the Constitution.”

Section 144, on the other hand, indicates that “proposals to amend or revise the Constitution shall be by resolution which may be filed at any time by any member. The adoption of resolutions proposing amendments to or revision of the Constitution shall follow the procedure for the enactment of bills.”

With this, Escudero pressed the Senate to craft similar provisions before pushing through with another hearing on Cha-cha.

He likewise emphasized the need to resolve the issue on whether or not both chambers of Congress should convene as a constituent assembly by separate or joint session.

Escudero said there is a need to settle all these before proceeding with Cha-cha talks to avoid potential bickering due to “varying rules.”

At present, the Senate is deliberating on proposed amendments to the Constitution through Resolution of Both Houses No. 6.

It was made following a clear directive from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for the upper chamber to look into the proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

Meanwhile,  leaders from the lower chamber have likewise filed Resolution of Both Houses No. 7, mimicking Senate’s RBH 6.