Escudero wants ‘detailed, comprehensive plan’ on federalism before Cha-cha

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero

Senator Francis Escudero is still unconvinced about proposals to change the country’s form of government from unitary to federalism as he sought first for a “detailed and comprehensive plan” on federalism before amending the 1987 Constitution.

Escudero said proponents are merely floating concepts of federalism and are yet to show the public the exact type, form, and substance of federalism they wish to implement in the country.

“Ako mismo sa ngayon ay ni hindi kumbinsido sa panukala nila dahil wala pa akong nakikitang laman o sustansya sa panukalang federalism,” Escudero said in a statement on Thursday.

“Konsepto pa lang naman ang naririnig ko at wala pang detalye kung anong uri ba, kulay o hugis ng federalismo ang nais nilang gawin at isakatuparan dito sa ating bansa. Hindi ko pa nakikita ‘yung laman noon.”

“Anong modelo ba ang nais nilang gamitin? Tulad ng sa America? Tulad ng sa Malaysia? Tulad ng sa kung ano mang bansa? At nais kong malaman kung ito nga ba ay naaayon sa ating bansa o hindi. Dapat mauna muna ‘yun bago anumang panukala kaugnay ng aktuwal na pag-amyenda,” Escudero added.

Escudero stressed that even before discussions on whether the Senate and the House of Representatives must assemble or not to revise the Constitution, the comprehensive review to change the Charter that would lead to the shift to federalism must first be complied with.

“Maski nga ‘yung komisyon na sabi ni Pangulong Duterte ay kanyang ipoporma o bubuuin ay hindi pa nabubuo upang pag-aralan ito so bakit natin uunahin yung pag-convene at pagpanukala na ng amendment samantalang iyong mga pag-aaral na dapat magawa muna sa likod nito ay ni hindi pa nasisimulan?” Escudero asked.

“Hindi naman pwedeng bubuksan muna ang Constitution saka pag-aaralan kung ano ang babaguhin. Nais kong makita muna sana ano ba iyong mga balak nilang baguhin at ano ba iyong mga pagbabagong nais nilang ipanukala katulad na lamang ng federalismo?” he added.

The senator then clarified that he was not against any proposal “to review and revisit” the more than three decades old 1987 Constitution. He said that he just wants to make sure that legislators would be “made aware of the wide-ranging political, social and economic implications of shifting to federalism.”                        /kga