Militant solon says Charter change dead

Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares  INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—A militant lawmaker declared moves for Charter change in the House of Representatives “dead.”

This is because the Constitution expressly stated that a plebiscite to ratify the proposal needed to be held not later than 90 days after the resolution is passed, Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares said.

Colmenares was referring to Section 4 of Article 17 in the Constitution, as saying that “any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution…shall be valid when ratified by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite which shall be held not earlier than 60 days nor later than 90 days after the approval of such amendment or revision.”

Should the law be passed this year, it would be impossible to hold a plebiscite soon after since the Commission on Elections has no budget, Colmenares said.

Elections chief Sixto Brillantes Jr. has said the Comelec has no allotted budget for a plebiscite this year.

The resolution authored by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. seeks to ease foreign ownership restrictions in the Charter by adding “as amended by law” in certain provisions.

In Monday’s electoral reforms and suffrage committee hearing, Brillantes had said that a nationwide plebiscite to ratify Charter change would cost as much as P7 billion.

“Why are we wasting our time discussing Cha-cha when the Comelec said there is no money,” Colmenares said.

He said the money could have been allotted for calamity funds.

“Why are we going to waste P7 billion on such an exercise that is detrimental to the interests of the Filipino people,” Colmenares said.

Charter change has been junked in the previous Congresses especially as it has long been seen as the politicians’ ploy to change the form of government and extend term limits.

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