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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Masyadong shortcut': Pimentel keen on questioning Cha-cha process

'Masyadong shortcut': Pimentel keen on questioning Cha-cha process

Published Jan 17, 2024 07:10 am

For Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, the procedure of amending the 1987 Charter as announced recently is too hasty and must be reviewed.

"Para sakin masyadong shortcut. Ni wala kaming exchange of ideas with members of the House (of Representatives). Puwede sanang ganun may exchange of ideas with members of House bilang one Constituent Assembly pero voting separately (For me it's too hasty. There will also be no exchange between us and the HOR. I think we can do it with us exchanging ideas with House members as one Constituent Assembly but voting separately)," he told reporters on Wednesday, January 17.

"Kung plano nila is to pass it like a law, para sa akin malaking issue yun (If their plan is to pass it like a law, for me it's going to be a big issue)," he added.

Seeking to avert a constitutional crisis, Zubiri said that the Senate, as tasked by President Marcos, will take the lead in the discussions of the economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution.

According to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, the President floated the idea to him and House Speaker Martin Romualdez to have the Senate take the lead in the discussions of the economic provisions, and then the upper chamber will approve its version which the HOR can adopt.

But Pimentel said that he has a different interpretation on the matter. He stated that they must change hats from functioning as a Senate into a Constituent Assembly. He mentioned passing a resolution that they will function as a Constituent Assembly to have a "clear break" that the proposed amendment to the Constitution was passed by Senate as a Constituent Assembly and not Senate as a second house of Congress.

"Nung nagimpeachment court kami nirequire pa namin na magrobe kami para makita niyo na we are now a court not a legislative body. (When we became an impeachment court we even required everyone to wear robes so that the people can see that we are a court and not a legislative body). Although we are senators, we are judges," he explained.

"Pagdating sa conass, meron dapat (When it comes to ConAss, there must be a) formal break na (that) we are not functioning as a Senate, we are functioning as a Senate Constituent Assembly," he added.

To resolve this, Pimentel said that they will have discussions and internal debates to decide the kind of interpretation or process of Constituent Assembly that they will adopt. He added that the aggrieved party can resort to court action so there can be a referee outside of the body.

Meanwhile, Pimentel also stated that while they are free to consult the President, he said that he should not have been mentioned when it comes to amending the Constitution.

"If you notice the design sa (of) [the] Constitution, inalis talaga ang (they removed the) President sa (in) [the] process of Constitutional change," Pimentel said.

"Siguro dahil being in a very powerful position ang laki ng influence niya. So kung ano yung opinion ng President on what is supposed to be the change baka yun ang mananaig hindi na (that will be prevail and not the) sovereign will of the people. I'm just guessing, pero what I'm stating as a fact is pag tingnan natin yung Constitution na yan kung mapapansin niyo pagdating dun sa amendment and revision of the Constitution, suriin ninyo ng mabuti, walang role ang Presidente dun eh (if you will look at the Constitution and you will notice when it comes to its amendment and revision, if you will analyze it thoroughly, the President has no role there)," he explained.

Zubiri said that he met with the President last Tuesday and raised the alarm related to the ongoing push for the People's Initiative (PI) to amend the existing Charter. He said that the President was not aware of the aim to diminish the power of the Senate. Marcos later set a meeting with Romualdez and Zubiri.

Related Tags

Senate President Juan Miguel F.  Zubiri Charter change 1987 Constitution Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III
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