Hontiveros on getting 7 votes vs Cha-cha in Senate: 'The ball is very much in play'
By Dhel Nazario
At A Glance
- For opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros, "the ball is very much in play" in garnering at least seven votes in the Senate to thwart the current Charter change (Cha-cha) proposal.
For opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros, "the ball is very much in play" in garnering at least seven votes in the Senate to thwart the current Charter change (Cha-cha) proposal.
"Alalahanin po natin, kailangan nila ng three-fourths of the Senate para aprubahan ang RBH No.6. Ibig sabihin, kailangan nila mag-muster ng 18 votes. Ibig sabihin din, kailangan lamang namin ng pito para sagkaan ito (Let's remember, they need three-fourths of the Senate to approve Resolution of Both Houses No. 6. This means, they have to muster 18 votes. It also means, we only need seven to defeat this)," she said during the Kapihan sa Senado on Thursday, Feb. 15.
"Ang pakiramdam ko lang po, na may mga kasama kami sa majority, base sa body language nila, na hindi rin ganap na sumusuporta sa Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 (I feel like we have colleagues in the majority based on their body language, who do not fully support RBH No.6)," she said.
The senator revealed that she and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III are against amending the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.
"So masasabi ha-cha, through any mode, about any category of provisions of the Constitution now," she said.
Hontiveros has yet to provide a number of senators who have expressed willingness to oppose the resolution.
"Yung very confident o overconfident na sinabi nung simula ng RBH No.6 na, 'Meron na kaming 18' (The very confident or overconfident statement at the start of RBH No. 6 that 'We already have 18') that's highly in doubt," she said.
Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri filed RBH No. 6, which proposes amendments to Articles XII, XIV and XVI of the 1987 Constitution. He penned it with Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda and Angara.