Belmonte, Enrile to meet Aquino on Charter change

House Speaker Sonny Belmonte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Even if President Benigno Aquino III did not mention it in his third State of the Nation Address, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said on Tuesday that Congress would still push for Charter change.

Speaking to reporters after receiving the 2013 proposed national budget from Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Belmonte said that he and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile plan to meet Aquino next week to discuss amendments in the Constitution.

“We had a small talk (after SONA and have) scheduled a longer talk in the next few days,” he said.

He said that Aquino might not be in favor of Charter change so he opted to exclude it from his speech but “whatever it is, the Senate President and I will see him next week.”

“I think we need (Aquino’s) endorsement, definitely kailangan yun. (But) if he doesn’t push it, at least he doesn’t talk against it,” said Belmonte.