Escudero: Divisive bills, including Cha-cha, not a priority

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero —Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will place “divisive” proposals to amend the 1987 Constitution “on the back burner,” Senate President Francis Escudero announced at the opening of the third regular session of the 19th Congress on Monday, a few hours before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his State of the Nation Address (Sona).

In his speech, Escudero said the upper chamber “would set aside items, which merely dissipate our energy and divide the public.”

READ: Officials expect Marcos to tackle key issues in 3rd Sona

“It’s not a priority for me and since it was not mentioned in the Ledac (Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council), I don’t think it’s a priority of the Ledac or the executive [branch] either,” he clarified in a press briefing afterward. “In its stead, bills which can effect the same result—but without the needless political noise and bickering—will be prioritized. This will allow us to focus our energy on measures, [that] the people truly need,” he added.

Escudero declared in his speech the Senate’s “unanimous and unbending” stand in defending the country’s independence and sovereignty amid rising tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). In line with this, priority would be given to passing laws similar to the Maritime Zone and Sea Lanes Act, which aims to strengthen the Philippines’ territorial claims, he said.

Escudero also highlighted the importance of strengthening the military to secure peace, not to provoke conflict, as well as peaceful measures to protect fisherfolk’s rights to navigate and fish in the country’s territorial waters.

Wait-and-see stance

Ranking House leaders, on the other hand, said they respected the Senate’s decision to deprioritize economic Charter change (Cha-cha) but insisted it was not yet dead in the water.

In separate interviews, Tingog Rep. Jude Acidre and PBA Rep. Migs Nograles said the lower chamber—which passed on third and final reading Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 seeking to amend specific economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution—would still have to “wait and see” what next steps to take regarding their pet legislative agenda.

“At the same time, the Senate’s rules and leadership are different, so we will have to see what direction they would take with this,” Nograles said.

“[Charter change] remains to be a viable option if we’re going to go full throttle on the economic development goals,” added Acidre. “While we have different opinions, [I would say] this is a valid and opportune time to really review the Constitution.”

“I don’t think we can always consider [this] as dead in the water, as long as Congress is there,” Acidre said. “It would always be an option.”