Pro-Cha-cha solon shuns amendments now: ‘Leave it to the next admin’
(Photo of the House of Representatives)
MANILA, Philippines — Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz Defensor will not support any moves to amend the 1987 Constitution during the 20th Congress as he thinks this will be bad for the country right now.
The lawmaker gave this view in an online interview with reporters covering the House of Representatives.
He used to be an ally of past Charter change (Cha-cha) initiatives.
Defensor was asked if he will refile a measure similar to the Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 7 after he made a successful reelection bid in the 2025 midterm polls.
The legislator replied that aside from Cha-cha being bad for the economy, he does not want the measure to be used for politics in 2028 — or during the next presidential elections.
“It’s no longer the right time to amend the Constitution or do a Cha-cha. Let’s leave it to the next administration after 2028,” he suggested.
“It will add to the divisiveness in the country. It will not help unite us to progress. It’s bad for the economy as it is right now. And I don’t want Cha-cha to be used for political ends in 2028,” he noted.
“If ever we will file an amendment to the Constitution, it must be to amend only the economic provisions and nothing more. That’s all,” Defensor added.
RBH No. 7 is the proposal introduced in the House during the early part of 2024, which seeks an economic Charter change.
If the measure will be approved and adopted by both Houses of Congress, economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution will be amended.
This will open to foreign ownerships the industries of public utilities, basic education and advertising.
The House passed RBH No. 7 but the Senate has not acted on the counterpart measure, RBH No. 6.
READ: Romualdez leaves fate of economic amendments in Cha-cha to Senate
On December 12, 2023, House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. raised the possibility of an economic Charter change (Cha-cha).
They said the House leadership intended to tackle proposals by early 2024.
The proposed amendments aimed to address the slow turnover of investment pledges secured during overseas trips of the president.
This, however, set off intense debates between House members and senators.
With two of the three modes of amending the Constitution failing — a constitutional convention and a constituent assembly — Cha-cha advocates pushed for a People’s Initiative (PI), a signature campaign.
After the campaign gained traction early January, former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said he, Romualdez and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed that the Senate would just push for their own version of RBH No. 6.
However, eventually, all 24 senators signed a manifesto opposing the PI.
They argued that the campaign requires the House and the Senate to vote jointly on any provisions of the Constitution that are to be amended.
Should this be the case, the stand of 24 senators can easily be overwhelmed by over 300 lawmakers in the House./apl
READ: Senate manifesto nixes people’s initiative, warns of no-el scenario
READ: Many senators becoming lukewarm to push Cha-cha – Villanueva
