House OKs Con-Ass, opposition warns of GMA term extension

Wednesday, 03 June 2009 15:34 Maui Hermitanio

Numbers game ruled over reason last night at the House of Representatives when members of the majority and known allies of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo railroaded the passage of House Resolution 1109 that aims to set up a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass).

The measure was adopted through viva voce voting in the plenary at around 11:20 as the House scrambles to take care of unfinished business before they go on session break on June 7.

ABS-CBNnews.com reported that minority solons attacked the resolution’s proponents, and accused President Arroyo of being behind the move to amend the charter and prolong her stay in power.

Out of the 11 scheduled interpellators, only five members were allowed to speak -- minority leader San Juan Pep. Ronaldo Zamora, Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez, Deputy Minority Leader Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza, and Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III. The debate was cut short after rep. Didagen Dilangalen III moved that the period of debate be closed.

Opposition legislators see the measure as a way to extend the term of office of President Arroyo. Bayan Muna rep. Teodoro Casiño said in a report, “This means that under 1109, we are opening the entire
Constitution to amendments .... This will allow our politicians to keep themselves in power,” he said.

Speaking for the first time in the House session since he was ousted as Speaker in February 2008, Charter Change advocate and former Arroyo ally Jose De Venecia stressed it is not timely to amend the
Constitution under Arroyo’s term. "It is very clear that we do not really seek to amend the Constitution. And if we must amend the Constitution, my proposal, Mr. Speaker, as it is the proposal of many others here, let us amend the Constitution after the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has passed.”

House Resolution No. 1109 empowers Congress to convene itself into a Con-Ass in which members of the House and the Senate would vote jointly—not separately—to amend the 1987 Constitution.

During the interpellation, members of the majority admitted that it is possible to postpone the 2010 elections under the resolution. The resolution was authored by 171 legislators, mostly members of the majority.

But even some administration congressmen have expressed reservations about the resolution's approval of joint voting as opposed to separate voting to pass charter amendments. This would allow the 270-member House of Representatives to bypass the 23-member Senate.

"It takes two to dance the Cha-cha. I am going to make a disclaimer. I believe it (resolution) will have to be sent to the Senate," said Cebu rep. Pablo Garcia in a report from abscbnnews.com.

A Teacher partylist rep. Ulpiano Sarmiento III, a member of the administration, voted against HR 1109 and said, "I'm sorry to disappoint you. There is no assurance that the gentleman's agreement as manifested in [HR] 1109 regarding the non-extension of the term of the president shall be recognized and honored once we are transformed into a constituent assembly. It does not deserve this haste."

Speaker Prospero Nograles said that Con-Ass may convene after Arroyo’s State of the Nation address in July.

Former KAMPI president rep. Luis Villafuerte told gmanews.tv that two scenarios can be expected. “Either somebody will file a case before the Supreme Court and seeks an interpretation of the manner in which the voting was held or…[or] number two, that nobody will bother to do so and therefore we are going to proceed with our recess and not much will happen until after we resume [our session on July 27] but I expect this will be brought to the Supreme Court because that is the real intention…we are only seeking an answer to the question of whether we should go separately or collectively when specific amendments are proposed."

Another proponent of HR 1109, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, said the House Committee on Rules will decide how the constituent assembly will be convened.