Do not rush Charter change, Pimentel tells lawmakers

Former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. INQUIRER.net / CATHY MIRANDA

Do not rush amending the Charter, former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel told lawmakers on Saturday, as amending the provisions of the basic law of the land would need to be scrutinized carefully and explained to the public properly.

Pimentel said it would be doubtful if Congress could pass the federal Charter within the next three months in time for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in May because the public should clearly understand the need for federalism and why they should support it.

“Palagay ko medyo tagilid (mapasa sa loob ng tatlong buwan) sapagkat dapat malaman ng taumbayan puno’t dulo nito bakit kailangan ng federal system. It’s not because the President is endorsing it therefore automatically maganda,” Pimentel said during the Saturday Forum at Annabel’s Restaurant in Quezon City. (I think it’s unlikely to be passed within the next two months because the people should know the beginning and end of this and why we need the federal system. It’s not because the President is endorsing it therefore it’s automatically the best for us.)

“Maganda ang layunin pero dapat may alam ang taumbayan ano yung sinusuportahan nila and that is why, sa tingin ko, it will take more than three months,” he added. (The objective is good but the public should know what they are supporting and that is why, I think, it will take more than three months.)

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Congress would pass the draft federal Charter by May so the plebiscite that would ratify it would be held simultaneously with the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

If the public approves of the new Constitution, the 2019 elections would be suspended for the transition in government, he explained.

READ: No-el scenario in 2019 possible – Alvarez

And in an apparent bid to railroad the draft Charter, Alvarez told senators that Congress, sitting as constituent assembly (Con-ass), would push through even without the senators as he claimed that the members of the House alone could make up the “three-fourths vote” needed to change the Constitution.

Alvarez insisted that the two chambers of Congress should vote jointly under Sec. 1, Art. VII of the Constitution that states that Congress, “by a vote of three-fourths of all its members, may amend or revise the Constitution.”

Many have raised alarm over the proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution pending in Congress as it would “practically” extend term limits of incumbent politicians and abolish a number of democratic institutions, including the Ombudsman.

READ: Alvarez: Con-ass to push through even without senators

Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate said Congress should have meaningful debates on the key provisions of the Constitutions and scrutinize its substance.

“Bukas kami na pag-usapan natin yung mga basic at substantial na babaguhin natin sa Konstitusyon. Ang problema nitong nakaraan, marami nang lumabas na it betrays now the real purpose ng mga nagtutulak. Gusto nilang wala nang eleksyon ngayong 2019, gusto nilang i-lift yung term limits,” Zarate said in the same news conference. (We are open to discussing the basic and substantial amendments to the Constitution. The problem is, recently, many agenda have sprouted that betrays the real purpose of the people who are advocating for this. They want no elections in 2019, they want to lift the term limits.)

Zarate added that some lawmakers who push federalism may just be taking advantage of President Rodrigo Duterte’s popularity and strong advocacy for federalism to advance their personal interests.

Pimentel and Zarate maintained that Congress as Con-ass should vote separately as chambers in amending the provisions of the Constitution.

“Alam naman siguro ni Speaker Alvarez na ang (I think Speaker Alvarez knows that the) House is only one of the chambers of our legislature which must act together in the revision of the Constitution. Hindi pwede na sila lang (It should not be them alone),” Pimentel said.