Belmonte, Drilon slate Charter change talk with President Aquino

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Sen. Franklin Drilon will meet with President Benigno Aquino III during the congressional break to get Malacañang’s position regarding a congressional initiative to amend certain economic provisions of the Constitution.

In a recent talk with reporters, Belmonte said results of the meeting could guide both houses of Congress in their next move. Congress adjourned last week for a one-month break.

The President had repeatedly said that Charter change (Cha-cha) was not a priority of his administration, after the Senate and the House of Representatives agreed in principle to convene a bicameral constituent assembly as a mode of amending the Constitution.

Vote separately

The idea of holding a bicameral constituent assembly, with both houses voting separately on a bill to amend the Charter, was broached by Drilon during a legislative summit last month.

“It’s not a question of it not being his priority. Is he (President) opposed to it? As long as we’re doing his priorities, which we are at least doing, then we ought to know,” Belmonte said.

“I intend to find time to talk with the President and his advisers because, really, I also believe that at least his tacit approval or no opposition is necessary to pass this. That’s why we have to talk this over with him,” he said.

Cross the bridge

Told that he could be wasting his time as the President would not support Charter change, Belmonte said, “Well, let’s cross the bridge when we get there.”

Belmonte said that during the break, the House committees could continue their hearings on certain bills, including the one on Charter change.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile earlier said Congress did not involve the President in Cha-cha at this time because the matter was purely an initiative of the legislature.

No rush on discussions

“Eventually, the President will have to come into play because we operate as a holistic government. I’d like to emphasize the fact that we are opening the discussion on the possibility of amending the economic provisions of the Constitution,” Enrile said.

He said the Senate would not rush discussions on Charter change because this involved the life of the nation and the interests of the people.