Charter change a ploy to revive ‘pork,’ says lawmaker

By: Gil C. Cabacungan - 11 years ago

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Fresh efforts to push Charter change (Cha-cha) in Congress could be a ploy to resurrect the pork barrel funds of lawmakers.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares expressed fears that through Charter change, legislators “can dispense projects because that is part of their constitutional mandate.”

“Or they can do it indirectly by saying that the legislators have a role in implementing the economic provisions of the Constitution, thereby contributing to national development through projects. Either way, this will make sure that there will no longer be a constitutional challenge versus the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF),” Colmenares said.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has sounded off the majority bloc’s plan to make Charter change a priority in Congress next year but scoffed at what he said were Colmenares’ unfounded fears.

“I have been pushing for Cha-cha since Day 1,” said Belmonte, who is on his second straight term as Speaker.

Belmonte said amendments would solely focus on economic provisions such as foreign equity limits to spur investments and boost economic growth.

Resurrected

The House has restored its old plan to amend the Constitution, which was repeatedly pushed and rejected in the previous administration.

The move was made just weeks after the Supreme Court ruled that the PDAF was unconstitutional because lawmakers should not be allowed to take a direct role in controlling where the allocations it approved should go.

Colmenares, however, was certain that lawmakers would not stop at allowing full foreign ownership in land and other restricted areas such as public utility and media.

Not trustworthy

“The moment Congress is given the power to amend the Constitution, that will lead to many amendments later, including term extension. A Congress which inserts pork barrel if given the chance will also insert term extension of congressmen, senators, local officials and even the President in amending the Constitution. A Congress which passed the Electric Power Industry Reform Act and oil deregulation law and refuses to amend them, cannot be trusted to amend the Constitution,” he said.

Colmenares said the main thrust of Charter change was to shift from a presidential to parliamentary form of government in order to regain the legislative branch’s powers that were clipped in the high court ruling.

“They can claim that the parliament is a fusion of executive and legislative functions, therefore legislators have the power to give projects as part of their executive function,” said Colmenares.

“This is very dangerous and we would oppose it every step of the way. Poverty and corruption are not caused by the Constitution, therefore Cha-cha cannot be its solution,” he said.