Zubiri vows to step down if he will cause the Senate to weaken

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri (File photo from MARK PIMENTEL /Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Wednesday vowed to step down from his post if he ever finds himself being a party to eroding the strength of the Senate.

“I’d rather lose my Senate presidency than be party of weakening this institution. I will never allow the weakening of this institution, I will step down myself if that [happens],” Zubiri told reporters in a press conference.

The Senate chief’s remarks came amid fears raised by his colleagues that economic Charter change might debilitate the chamber.

Zubiri maintained that there are still “a majority of senators that are okay with the economic provisions, [but] there’s that concern that it might trigger a voting as one issue.”

Apprehension

Senators previously expressed apprehension on joint voting on Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 or the measure that contains proposed amendments to specific economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

According to the senators, the 24-member legislative body can easily be outvoted by more than 300 members of the House of Representatives.

“Hindi po tayo papayag. (We will not allow it.) As I’ve said, my job description is to uphold and protect the independence of the Senate under Article 1 of our Constitution,” Zubiri stressed.

The Senate leader, along with Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda and Senator Sonny Angara, filed RBH6 earlier this year.

The move came after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. asked the chamber to review the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution.

The request was meant to see the possibility of allowing more foreign direct investments in the Philippines.