Independent minority solon Albay 1st district Rep Edcel Lagman is crossing his fingers that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. would stick to his pronouncements on Charter Change (Cha-cha).
"I hope President Marcos will remain steadfast in his position that amending the 1987 Constitution is not in the administration's priority agenda," Lagman, the Liberal Party (LP) president, said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 14.
"I agree with the President that foreign investments will come, as they presently do, even without amending the Constitution's economic provisions," he said.
The Chief Executive made these remarks even as the House of Representatives--through the Committee on Constitutional Amendments--was in full swing with its out-of-town public consultations on pending pro-Cha-cha measures in the current 19th Congress.
Committee chairman, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has said that the deliberations on the proposed amendments to the Constitution will continue despite Marcos' statements.
He noted that the House was independent from the other branches of government.
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Lagman insists that Cha-cha at this juncture is "out of tune".
"Moreover, Charter change is not timely as we have to devote our full efforts and resources to address mounting economic woes on inflation, poverty, and food security, among others," the Bicolano said.