Best time to amend Charter is now—Senator Estrada

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Now is the perfect time to amend the Constitution because President Aquino’s popularity remains high and he is not interested in remaining in power after his term ends in three years, Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada said Wednesday.

“I think this is the perfect time because we have a President who is credible, who is popular and who has no plans of extending his term, unlike the previous administration under which we were quite fearful amid talks of tinkering with the constitution,” Estrada was quoted as saying in the transcript of an interview released by his staff on Wednesday. It did not say who made the interview or when.

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was “very unpopular and Filipinos were anxious that her term might be extended,” Estrada added. “Now, we have a different president who is popular and who has no plans of extending his term.”

The release of the interview transcript came a day after House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr., filed a draft resolution on Tuesday calling for Constitutional amendments.

“I am in favor of tinkering the Constitution with regard to the economic provisions only but the term (limits) of local and even national officials must remain. As far as I’m concerned it should only be about the economic provisions,” said Estrada, who is acting Senate president for now and is expected to join the majority when the new Congress convenes later this month.

“How long has it been since the Constitution was ratified? Twenty-five, 26 years?” Estrada said, indicating that it was about time the constitution was updated to suit the times.

Estrada said any provision of the Constitution, whether political or economic, would be fair game for amendment once the process starts.

“Once you tinker with the Constitution, all its provisions are open to change.  That’s the danger.  But I have faith in the present leadership that they won’t change any of it,” Estrada said.

Estrada conceded that the lack of support from President Aquino would be a hurdle for proponents of amending the Constitution.

“What the President can do in case Congress passes (a constitutional amendment measure) is to veto it.  It’s really a challenge if the President doesn’t support it,” Estrada said.

Estrada, a member of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, is expected to be one of the leaders of the new Senate minority.

The new minority is expected to be led by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, the former Senate president.

The new majority, on the other hand, is expected to be led by President Aquino’s fellow Liberal Party member, Sen. Franklin Drilon.

The Aquino administration has repeatedly said that Charter change was not a priority of Mr. Aquino and that the economic gains of the past few years were achieved without any constitutional amendments.