House Speaker Martin Romualdez (In photo, left) breaks down what he really told Leyte 4th district Rep. Richard Gomez (right) when they discussed Charter change (Cha-cha) ahead of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) members' meeting on the topic.
(Photo from Speaker’s office, Facebook)
Romualdez spells out what he actually told Gomez on Cha-cha
Mar 24, 2023 05:22 AM
At a glance
House Speaker Martin Romualdez has finally clarified what he told Assistant Majority Leader and Leyte 4th district Rep. Richard Gomez in connection with the Charter change (Cha-cha) issue.
In a statement Friday, March 24. Romualdez, Leyte’s 1st district congressman, reiterated that the House was pursuing constitutional amendments via a constitutional convention (con-con).
This is reflected in Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No.6 and House Bill (HB) No.7352, which the lower chamber earlier approved on third and final reading.
"What the House of Representatives approved was the constitutional convention mode of amending the restrictive provisions that prohibit the entry of foreign investments. If the Senate wants a different mode, that is their discretion," Romualdez said, referring to the other chamber in the bicameral legislature.
"The House leadership, however, is willing to open discussions with the Senate on their preferred mode of amending the Constitution if that will lead to an agreement between the two chambers," he said.
"We are open to consider any proposal of the Senate and will submit such proposal to members of the House. This was what I relayed to Rep. Richard Gomez when he informed me that senators are amenable to economic amendments but through constituent assembly (con-ass)," the House leader said.
On Thursday, March 23, Gomez said on the sidelines of a meeting of his party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), that Romualdez "had agreed" to a con-ass.
He added that the House had "agreed on all the conditions the Senate wants" when it comes to the Cha-cha effort.
This somewhat took House insiders by surprise, since Romualdez and the rest of the House leadership had been gung ho for a con-con since the start.
"I commend the efforts of Rep. Gomez and Senator Robinhood Padilla in trying to forge an agreement between the House of Representatives and the Senate on this issue," Romualdez added.
Padilla, also of PDP-Laban, is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Reivision of Codes. He was present at the PDP-Laban meeting.
Romualdez is the president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD).