Opposition Sen. Leila de Lima said Saturday that only those so corrupt and greedy could ever think of ripping off the 1987  Constitution through Charter amendment when the entire country is a veritable Intensive Care Unit (ICU) because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Walang masosolusyunan ang pag-amyenda sa Konstitusyon sa kasalukuyang mga problema natin sa sakit, gutom, kawalan ng trabaho, at bumabagsak na ekonomiya, lalo kung hindi naman Saligang Batas ang problema, kundi itong mga akala mo sila ang batas! (There could not be solutions through Charter Change (Cha Cha) when the country is reeling from hunger, joblessness and economic downturn, particularly when the Constitution is not the problem, but those who think they are the law!)’  she said.

The detained lawmaker said the long and short of any Cha-cha move in the twilight years of the Duterte administration is nothing but a desperate attempt for power consolidation and extension.

‘’We should not let this regime succeed in its dictatorial designs by tinkering with our Constitution for two important reasons: Duterte is a China puppet and his regime is extraordinarily corrupt, inept, and murderous. It is a pathocracy, as I said a few days ago,’’ De Lima stressed.

"Hindi Konstitusyon ang may problema. Kapag sakim, korap, at abusado sa kapangyarihan ang nakaupo, walang Konstitusyon o anumang batas na sasapat. Sa harap ng mga ganitong hakbang, lalo pa nating bantayan at tindigan ang ating demokrasya at mga karapatan.  Tuloy ang laban! (There are no problems in the Constitution. When the selfish, corrupt and power hungry are in government, there is no Constitution that could solve their problems. Because of these Cha-Cha moves, the more we should guard and protect our democracy and its basic rights. The fight continues!)’’ she added.