Zubiri ready to ‘risk’ Senate leadership on Cha-cha push

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri has expressed his readiness to “risk” his post in the upper chamber if there is a move to push for amendments to the Constitution other than economic provisions.

On Thursday, Zubiri assuaged fears that changes in political provisions may be introduced once the Charter change (Cha-cha) proposal moves in the Senate.

Citing his discussion with colleagues in the Senate, he said almost all of them agreed to limit the changes in the Constitution to economic provisions.

“…[A]nd that’s why the public need not fear our push for simple but meaningful amendments to the Charter,” he said in a Viber message to reporters.

“I shall risk my leadership on that. No other motives whatsoever,” Zubiri stressed.

At President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’s suggestion, Zubiri initiated the new Cha-cha bid in the Senate by filing a resolution proposing amendments to specific provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

The resolution, filed last Monday, was co-authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda and Senator Sonny Angara.

Senator Lito Lapid has rallied behind the Senate’s move, despite questions raised by opposition senators — Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel and Risa Hontiveros — against the new Cha-cha bid.

In a statement, Lapid underscored the “crucial role” of the upper chamber in any Cha-cha discussions.

“We are elected by the whole country to present a perspective that is different but complementary to that of the House of Representatives,” he said.

“Any initiative to silence the voice of the Senate seeks to disenfranchise the millions of Filipinos who placed their hopes on the Senate to be their voice in the legislature,” he added.

Lapid then gave his full backing to the Senate leadership, confident that “they will shepherd us into a meaningful study” of the Constitution.

The senator also recognized that amending is not a simple matter.

“There are a lot of questions that will need to be addressed. First is whether there is a need to amend the Constitution. Then what should be changed or amended. Finally, how do we go about it?

“In every step, there are a lot of voices that need to be heard, a lot of things that need to be studied. But the most important thing that needs to be established in this process is for whom is the proposed Charter Change? Who stands to benefit from any proposed amendment?” Lapid asked.