Puno: Con-com an independent body working for the interest of people

Former Chief Justice Reynato Puno. (File photo by RYAN LEAGOGO / INQUIRER.net)

Former Chief Justice Reynato Puno maintained on Tuesday that the Consultative Body to Review the 1987 Constitution (Con-com) remains to be independent even as President Rodrigo Duterte believes that an anti-political dynasty measure is undemocratic.

A week after the body voted to include the anti-political dynasty provision, Puno, chairman of the Con-com, said that the body would continue to work independently for the interest of the people.

“The Executive order as well as the instructions given to the committee has the effect that the committee is an independent body, and the President simply told the members that they do what they think is or are the best for the people,” Puno said in a press briefing when asked about the President and other politicians’ position against the anti-political dynasty provision.

“That is what we are doing in examining this ’87 Constitution, we are not focusing on any particular person or entity. We are doing this for the greater interest of the people,” he added.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Sunday said Duterte thinks that the anti-political dynasty bill is anti-democratic and it should be the people who must decide whom to vote in office.

Duterte’s daughter, Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio, is the mayor of Davao City and his son, Paolo, was the city’s former vice mayor.

READ: Duterte thinks anti-political dynasty bill is anti-democratic – Roque

The Con-com last week voted to include a self-executing anti-dynasty provision, which bans immediate family members of up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity of incumbent government officials from replacing them.

The provision also disallows members of one family to hold multiple positions or run simultaneously for different seats.

Puno said that the provision is a pre-requisite to the drafting of the federal structure as it is one of the major issues raised by critics against federalism.

READ: Duterte to be first ‘victim’ of anti-political dynasty provision – Con-com

Puno said it is yet to see if he would ask the President to support the controversial provision.

“After we shall have re-examined and revised the 87 Constitution we shall be forwarding this to the President, I assume that there will be discussions and we will see,” he added. /je