Lagman finds 'common ground' with anti-Cha-cha business groups

Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman said that the local business groups' opposition to the ongoing Charter change (Cha-cha) efforts "echoed the position" of the House members who thumbed down the measure's passage in plenary. "The opposition of six big business groups led by the Makati Business Club to charter change echoes the position of independent-minded members of the House of Representatives against a constitutional convention (con-con) to amend the 1987 Constitution," Lagman said in a statement Saturday afternoon, March 25. The independent minority congressman went on to name four "common grounds" between the anti-Cha-cha solons and anti-Cha-cha business groups. "1. Charter change by con-con or any other mode is not timely as the government has to address more pressing economic problems on poverty, inflation, and food security; 2. A political debate on amending the Constitution will be disruptive of the country’s economic recovery momentum and divisive at a time when national unity must be forged; 3. The multi-billion peso cost of a constitutional convention can be better channeled to pro-people agenda and reforms; and 4. The recent statutes liberalizing the entry of foreign investments into the country should first be fully implemented without trifling with the Constitution," he said. Last March 6, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No.6 through nominal voting. The voting result was 301-6-1 (yes-no-abstain). The six House members who voted "no" were Liberal Party (LP) members Lagman, Camarines Sur 3rd district Rep. Gabriel Bordado, and Basilan lone district Rep. Music Hataman; and Makabayan bloc members ACT-Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel. RBH No.6 calls for the creation of a con-con for the purpose of introducing amendments to the existing Charter. The House leadership has said that the main goal of the Cha-cha efforts was the lifting of the "restrictive" economic provisions of the Constitution.