Let the House of Representatives proposal to amend the 1987 Constitution to be handled by a Constitutional Convention (Con Con) go through the normal Legislative process.
Senator Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, emphasized this after the Lower House’s committee on constitutional amendments yesterday approved a resolution that would pave the way for a Con Con as a way to introduce amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
After holding seven public consultations that include out-of-town meetings, the panel, headed by Cagayan de Oro City Representative Rufus Rodriguez, agreed to stamp their approval on a still unnumbered House Resolution calling for a Con-Con.
Senator Robinhood C. Padilla has stated that his Senate constitutional amendments committee would still conduct two more public hearings before wrapping up its inquiry preparatory to the drafting of a committee report.
Padilla’s resolution wanted that the restrictive economic provisions of the 36-year-old Constitution be amended through a Constituent Assembly (Con Ass), a totally different mode.
Tolentino said the Senate has yet to have a copy of the Lower House’s proposal.
He expected that the House proposal would eventually be referred to Padilla’s committee.
‘’Let it evolve through a process. Let all the voices be heard. Let this undergo process,’’ he stressed.
Tolentino said there is a danger when other provisions of the Constitution would be opened for debate other than the economic provisions.
In so far as Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda is concerned, the Senate is busy ‘’uplifting people’s lives.’’
‘’We are focused on a sustainable pandemic recovery, to provide jobs, give food on their table, curb learning poverty, bring better healthcare to our people. Aside from battling the climate crisis,’’ she said.
‘’We must focus on innovation, digitalization of MSMEs (Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises), agricultural productivity, much more,’’ she added.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said he agrees with the position of President Marcos that amending the Charter now is not timely.
There are laws that Congress had passed seeking to attract foreign investors, he pointed out.
These are the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, Foreign Investment Act and Public Services Act, he said.
Nevertheless, the work at the Senate continues and this includes public hearings by the Padilla committee seeking to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution, he added.