Belmonte: Aquino got wrong idea about House move on Charter

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Saturday said that President Benigno Aquino III was “misinformed” when he remarked that amendments to the Constitution could be used to extend the presidential term limit and lead to the installation of a new dictator.

Leaders of the House of Representatives have made reassurances time and again that Belmonte’s pet bill, Resolution of Both Houses No. 1 (RBH1), will not allow changes to the political provisions of the Constitution, but only touch its restrictive economic sections.

The measure was passed on second reading by the 289-strong lower chamber on May 27. It is to be put to a vote before June 11, before Congress adjourns.

Belmonte did not reply to a follow-up question on whether he planned to discuss the matter with Mr. Aquino to correct the wrong impression.

Be that as it may, the President’s approval is actually not needed to pass the RBH1.

What is necessary is concurrence by the Senate and, after that, a positive result in a national referendum.

Unlike ordinary legislation, any constitutional amendment will require an absolute three-fourths vote by both houses of Congress.

Belmonte had set a deadline for the House to pass the RBH1 before the close of the second regular session of the 16th Congress.

“If we cannot pass it now, I don’t see how we can pass it in the future. So we will try our best to pass it,” he had said in an earlier interview.

The House will have to muster at least 217 votes to pass the joint resolution with four days left before adjournment. In recent days, attendance on the plenary floor has not exceeded 200 members, and that already includes some minority lawmakers opposed to the measure.

Under RBH1, a five-word phrase—“unless otherwise provided by law”—shall be added to seven economic provisions of the Constitution to allow for the greater participation of foreign businesses in the country.

For instance, joint ventures for the exploration, development or use of the country’s natural resources may be made with 60-percent Filipino-owned corporations, “unless provided by law,” meaning the provision could be amended through legislation.

The same clause has been added to other provisions, including those on the lease of alienable lands, the operation of public utilities, and ownership and management of mass media.

Charter change failed to prosper in the past because of disapproval from sectors who believed it could be used to extend the term limits imposed on elected public officials.

Senate President Franklin Drilon himself earlier said that any attempt to amend the political provisions of the Constitution would be blocked as the senators would not agree to such a proposal.