No need to amend Constitution—Aquino spokesman

MANILA, Philippines – There is no need to amend the Constitution even if the changes will only affect economic provisions, President Benigno Aquino III’s spokesman said Friday.

Edwin Lacierda said the concerns of foreign investors – graft and corruption, the registration of businesses and the leveling of the playing field – “all don’t need Charter change to be addressed.”

Lacierda said that fixing all these problems was a priority of the Aquino administration but none of them required amending the Constitution. “So, certainly, we believe, insofar as the executive branch is concerned, that there is no need to amend the Constitution,” he added.

Nonetheless, Lacierda said Mr. Aquino would take the matter up with his partymates in Liberal Party and his other allies in Congress.

“It’s something that the leaders of House and leaders of the Senate, the allies of the President, will be discussing with him,” Lacierda said.