Is House con-con position a 'take it or leave it' offer? Barzaga answers

Will the House of Representatives stick to its proposed constitutional convention (con-con) or switch gears to a constituent assembly (con-ass)? Cavite 4th district Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., a member of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, says it's simply too early to answer that question since the Senate--the other chamber in the bicameral legislature--has yet to make up its mind on the matter. Asked what mode of constitutional revision or Charter change (Cha-cha) the House would be willing to accept with the Senate, the lawyer-congressman said: "Well... it depends upon the official action of the Senate." "It's too early to predict what would be the action. So let's have to wait for the official action of the Senate on the proposed legislation," Barzaga said. There are three mode by which the Constitution can be amended: via con-con, con-ass, or people's initiative (PI). The House of Representatives prefers the con-con method; in fact, it has already approved on third and final reading Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No.6 and House Bill (HB) No.7352. In tandem, they seek the creation of a con--con, where 314 delegates will either be elected or appointed (mostly elected) and tasked to propose amendments to the existing 1987 Charter. The twin measures have been transmitted to the Senate. But the Senate appears to be more amenable to a con-ass, where the sitting lawmakers (314 House members and 24 senators) will perform the task of the con-con delegates themselves. Still, the Cha-cha discussions are very fluid in the upper chamber. Asked if the House's position in favor of con-con is considered a "take it or leave it" offer to the Senate, Barzaga answered that the situation was still "premature". "Well it's premature right now because we cannot impose anything on any member of the House. Anything that shall be the subject of pure discussion should be discussed thoroughly and we have to ask the members of the House because we are collegial body." he said. "Alam mo naman (You know that) we are a bicameral legislative body; once we approve any bill or resolution, it goes to the Senate for its approval and disapproval. And in case there will be disagreeing provisions, we call for a bicameral conference. That's the way it should be done," the veteran congressman said. The bicameral conference committee hearing is essentially a venue where House members and Senator iron out their difference on a particular bill. The House leadership has repeatedly said that the main purpose of the Cha-cha through con-con was the lifting of the restrictive economic provisions of the existing Constitution.